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Plumber explains how to use the handle on a radiator correctly: many people make mistakes

Anastasia Kryshchuk

Plumber explains how to use the handle on a radiator correctly: many people make mistakes
How to use the handle on the radiator correctly

Most Ukrainians have knobs on the side of their radiators and assume that they are used to regulate the temperature. However, according to a plumber, this is not how the valves actually work.

The knob on the side of your radiators is known as a thermostatic radiator valve (TRV). Knowing how to use a TRV properly can help save money on your bills, according to Express.co.uk.

A TRV can help reduce the amount of gas a boiler needs to heat water in a heating system. Nathan Martin-Nicholls, a plumber at INHOUSE Plumbing and Heating, said one of the most common questions he gets asked is what the numbers on the radiator dial mean.

Read also: Boiler expert names the ideal temperature for heating so that pipes do not freeze

Most people assume that the numbers refer to the temperature of the radiator, but this is actually completely wrong. The numbers actually refer to the room temperature, not the radiator temperature.

The TRV detects the temperature in the room and then controls how much hot water goes into the radiator. For example:

  • 0 = 0°C (off)
  • ✱ = 7°C (usually a snowflake or dot symbol)
  • 1 = 10°C
  • 2 = 15°C
  • 3 = 20°C
  • 4 = 25°C
  • 5 = 30°C

Earlier, we wrote about how to reduce electricity costs without sacrificing comfort.

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