Radiator Central Heating Systems
The radiator circuit is the part of a heating system people think about least and complain about most.
The radiator circuit is the part of a heating system people think about least and complain about most. Balance, sizing and water quality decide whether a house feels evenly warm or has one room nobody sits in.
Balancing versus valves wide open
Every radiator fully open does not mean best performance. Lockshield settings distribute flow so the far end of the circuit gets its share.
Sizing per room
Radiators should be sized against room heat loss, not by whatever fitted the old bracket centres. Bay windows and single-skin extensions change the answer.
System water
Black water means magnetite. It erodes pumps, blocks valves and cools radiators from the bottom up. Cleaning and inhibitor are not optional extras.
Signs the circuit needs attention
- A room that never reaches temperature
- Cold patches at the bottom of radiators
- Noise from the pump or from pipework under floors
Who does the work
- Gas Safe registered engineers — registration 554328
- Worcester Bosch accredited installer
- John The Plumb Ltd, company registration 10026483
Fix an unevenly heated house
Tell us which rooms are cold and we will work through balance, sizing and water quality in the right order.
Questions we get asked
Should every radiator have a TRV?
Every room except the one holding the room thermostat, so the boiler always has a path to circulate.
Do bigger radiators cost more to run?
Not inherently. A correctly sized radiator lets you run lower flow temperatures, which usually helps a condensing boiler.
How often should the system be cleaned?
When symptoms show, when you change the boiler, and whenever a filter is coming back heavily loaded.