One valve accounts for the amount of hot water that enters the radiator. The other valve, referred to as the lockshield valve, balances the system by regulating how much heat the radiator gives off.

What do the two valves on a towel rail do?

The valves in a towel radiator control the flow of water through the pipes. This ensures your radiator heats up effectively and efficiently. They keep your towel radiator functioning and ensure that your bathroom is heated up when needed, and your towels are dry and ready to use.

Which is the lockshield valve on a towel radiator?

A lockshield valve is the valve on a radiator that has a plastic cap covering but not connected to the adjusting spindle. If you turn the cap it doesn't adjust the valve. To adjust the valve you have to remove the cap and turn the spindle with pliers.

How do you adjust the heat on a towel radiator?

The most common method for adjusting temperature will be to adjust the knob by turning clockwise to turn off - I.e. cool or anti clockwise to open and up the heat. Turning the knob could be difficult, and so pliers might be required.

What are the two controls on a radiator?

Each radiator in your home needs a pair of radiator valves. One of the valves controls the amount of hot water entering the radiator and the other (known as the lockshield valve) balances the system by controlling how much heat the radiator emits.

How to fit towel radiator valve. Towel radiator valve plumbing.

Should both valves on radiator be open?

You should open both of the valves on all of your system's radiator when you are starting the radiator balancing process. You will most likely need to use pliers to open the lockshield valve.

Should radiator valves be fully open?

You should also fully open the TRVs (thermostatic radiator valves). Whilst thermostatic and wheel head valves can be opened and closed by hand, the lockshield valves require a dedicated tool or an adjustable spanner.

Which valve is which on a heated towel rail?

What Type Of Valve Should I Use? There are two main types of heated towel rail valves. Straight valves should be used when the inlets are at the bottom of the towel rail and the pipes are protruding from the floor. Angled valves will be needed if the water needs to be diverted at a 90-degree angle.

Can you turn down the heat on a towel rail?

Sometimes, a heated towel rail can become a tad too warm, but you can always switch it off at the mains or turn it down slightly. However, if it is still hot to the touch then you might have to delve a little deeper in order to resolve the issue.

Where is the bleed valve on my towel radiator?

Find the towel radiator bleed valve. It tends to be at the top of the towel rail but is sometimes at the back. The screws are generally hexagonal or square. Also, many of them have a slot across the front so you can use a slotted screwdriver if a radiator key isn't available.

Do you open both valves on a towel rail?

Open both fully anticlockwise. Should heat up then ,providing central heating is on.

What side should the lockshield valve?

Systems are normally balanced by adjusting the lockshield valves usually fitted on the return side of each radiator. This ensures that each radiator circuit in the system has an equal pressure drop and receives the correct flow of hot water to heat the space in which it is fitted.

How do you open a lockshield valve?

Once the system has cooled down, you will have to open the lockshield valve. To do this, simply turn in an anti-clockwise direction (to the left). You can do so by hand; but if your valves are a bit stiff, use your lockshield valve key, a spanner, or the wheelhead valve cap instead.

Should there be a thermostatic valve on every radiator?

We recommend you fit a thermostatic valve on every radiator. But there's no need to fit one in a room with a fixed room thermostat.

Do heated towel rails stay on all the time?

Heated towel rails can be left on continuously, like standard radiators but if you have an electrically heated towel rail it is better and safer to limit usage and turn them on only when needed, rather than leaving it on all the time.

What is lockshield valve?

As previously mentioned, a Lockshield valve is a valve on a radiator that is used to help in balancing the radiator and the central heating system as a whole. It can be opened to differing amounts to let in a certain amount of pressure - depending on where the radiator is in the house.

Do towel rails have thermostats?

So, to circle back to our initial question, do electric towel rails have thermostats? Mostly, yes. Many towel rails come with some form of thermostatic control, offering more advanced and convenient heat management.

How does a towel radiator work?

Electric towel rails are fitted with an electric element and filled with a water inhibiting fluid. The element heats up the fluid and the towel rail is heated by a process known as convection.

Which radiator valve is which?

One valve controls the hot water flow into the radiator, and the lockshield valve controls the heat coming from the radiator. Lockshield valves make sure there is an even distribution of water around your home, ensuring the central heating system is balanced.

How can you tell an outlet and inlet on a radiator?

Check the valve itself and there should be a little arrow near the outlet. If the arrow points away from the valve it needs to go on the return side of the radiator, if it points into the valve it should be on the flow side.

Which way do radiator valves turn?

Turn valves clockwise to turn your radiator off and anticlockwise to turn it back on. Turning your radiators off is easy.

What position should radiator valves be in?

Many modern homes will have TRVs – Thermostatic Radiator Valves – attached to most of the radiators on the opposite side from the lockshield valves. A TRV should always be fitted to the inlet on the radiator and the LSV to the outlet.

How do you know if a radiator valve is open or closed?

Check the radiator control valve: If a radiator is not getting hot: (steam or hot water) first see if the valve that controls it has been turned off. Try turning the valve counter-clockwise to see if it will open.