TRV adjustment in Exeter
Professional trv adjustment services in Exeter and surrounding areas. Local, reliable handyman - no job too small.
Price Guide
£60
Typical Duration
10-15 mins
Location
Exeter, Devon
TRV adjusted or replaced so your radiator actually responds to the temperature setting. Room temperature back under control in 15 minutes.
When Your Radiator Ignores The Temperature Control
You turn the TRV to 2. Radiator stays on full blast. Room's like a sauna.
Or you turn it to 4. Radiator barely warms up. Room's freezing.
The TRV's stuck or failed. Supposed to regulate room temperature automatically - when room's warm enough it throttles the radiator back, when it cools down it opens up again.
When they fail, you lose all temperature control. Room's either too hot or too cold with no middle ground.
Why TRVs Fail
| ✅ Working TRV | ❌ Failed TRV |
|---|---|
| Radiator responds to setting | Radiator ignores valve completely |
| Room maintains steady temperature | Too hot or too cold, no control |
| Valve turns smoothly | Stiff, seized, or loose/floppy |
| Gentle clicking as it works | Silent (stuck) or constant clicking |
The Fix
🔧 What I Do
- Check if pin's stuck (try freeing it)
- Test valve head operation
- If stuck: free the pin and test
- If head failed: replace valve head
- Set to desired temperature
- Check radiator responds properly
💡 You Get
- Temperature control working
- Radiator turning down when room's warm
- Better heating efficiency (not wasting gas)
- Comfortable room temperature
Pricing
| Job | Time | You'll Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Free stuck TRV pin | 10 mins | £60 |
| Replace TRV head | 15 mins | £60 + valve head (£10-15) |
£60 minimum. Valve heads are cheap if replacement needed.
💡 Pro tip: If one TRV has failed, others of the same age probably aren't far behind. Worth checking them all while I'm there.
Why Choose Us for TRV adjustment in Exeter?
Room temperature control restored
Radiator responding to valve setting
No more stuck or seized valves
Better heating efficiency
What to Expect
Step 1: Diagnose
Test the valve - is the pin stuck, or has the head mechanism failed? Different fixes.
Step 2: Fix It
If it's just stuck, I free the pin (bit of WD40 and gentle persuasion). If the head's actually broken, swap it for a new one.
Step 3: Test
Set it to mid-range temperature, wait a few minutes, check the radiator's responding. Should throttle back once room warms up.
🔧 DIY Tips
Freeing a stuck TRV is worth trying yourself:
🔧 Tools you'll need
- Adjustable spanner or pliers
- WD-40 or similar
- Cloth or rag
📐 Freeing a stuck TRV
- Remove the valve head - usually twists off or has a locking ring
- Find the pin - small metal pin sticking up from valve body
- Try pushing it - should move up and down freely
- If stuck: spray with WD-40, wait 10 minutes
- Gentle taps with handle of screwdriver to free it
- Work it back and forth with pliers until it moves freely
- Refit head, test it works
Replacing TRV head:
- Turn to 5 (max) to decompress the mechanism
- Unscrew old head (some twist, some have locking nut)
- Screw on new head (make sure pin is depressed first or you'll flood)
- Turn to desired setting
⚠️ Common DIY mistakes
- Forcing the pin (bends it)
- Not decompressing before removing head (floods everywhere)
- Buying wrong thread fitting (TRVs aren't universal)
- Breaking off the pin (now you need whole valve replacing)
💡 Pro trick: TRVs should be set to 3-4 for living spaces (about 20°C), 2-3 for bedrooms (cooler sleeping), 1-2 for hallways. Don't turn them up to 5 to "heat faster" - doesn't work like that, just overshoots.
Rather leave it to a pro? No problem - that's what I'm here for. Give me a call.
Good to Know
🎨 Multiple stiff TRVs? Tell me when you book - I'll bring a selection of valve heads. More efficient to do them all in one visit than keep coming back as each one fails.
Old houses and sludge - Exeter's period properties often have heating systems with decades of crud in them. This can gum up TRV pins. Freeing them helps short-term, but the system might benefit from a powerflush long-term.
Smart TRVs - If you've got programmable digital TRVs, they fail differently (usually battery or electronics). I can advise but they sometimes need the manufacturer's support for programming issues.
No TRVs at all? Older systems just had manual valves. Worth upgrading to TRVs - saves money by not overheating rooms. I can swap them when I'm doing other work.
Which rooms need TRVs? Every radiator except one (leave one without a TRV so system has somewhere to dump heat if all others close). Never put TRV in same room as main thermostat - they fight each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does TRV actually stand for?
Thermostatic Radiator Valve - the twisty numbered control on your radiator that's supposed to regulate room temperature. Turn it to 3, room should warm to about 20°C then radiator backs off. In theory. In practice they stick, seize, or stop working.
My radiator's always on full blast even when TRV's turned down - what's wrong?
Classic stuck TRV. The pin inside has seized in the open position so hot water flows constantly regardless of the setting. Sometimes you can free it (I'll try that first), sometimes the valve head needs replacing. Quick job either way.
Can you just replace the valve head or do you need to drain the system?
Just the head usually - they unscrew without draining anything. The actual valve body stays in the radiator. Takes 5 minutes to swap a head. Only need to drain if we're replacing the whole valve body, which is rare.
Is it normal for TRVs to click occasionally?
Yeah, that's the valve opening and closing to maintain temperature. It's doing its job. If it's clicking constantly or making other weird noises, that's different - might be scaled up or on its way out.
I've got rooms that are too hot and rooms that are freezing - is that TRVs?
Possibly, but might also be a balancing issue with the whole system. I'll check the TRVs first (quick fix), but if they're all working the system might need properly balancing (lockshield valves adjusted so flow's distributed right). I can do both.
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Got multiple jobs?
Make the most of your first hour - I can often tackle several small tasks in one visit. List everything you need done when you call!
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