"Which radiator valves do I need for my radiator??"
It's a common question which we get asked by our customers, so we're here to explain everything you need to know when it comes to radiator valves!
So... maybe you’ve just purchased your perfect designer radiator and you find yourself a little baffled with which valves to go for. You may even be tempted to ask your plumber, but do not fear - we are here to help you decide which vales you’ll need; whether that be straight, angled or corner radiator valves.
Radiator Valves Explained
With a growing variety of radiator styles available on the market today, and with an increase in customer demand for the most stylish designs, radiator valve manufacturers have increased the choice available on the market to ensure they suit your radiator perfectly.
Your radiator will either be wall-mounted or floor-mounted. Wall-mounted means that the radiator will hang from the wall with a set of brackets. Please note that wall-mounted does not necessarily mean that the pipes will be coming out of the wall.
Floor-mounted means that the radiator will be sat on the floor on the radiators feet/legs. Again, please note that this does not necessarily mean that the pipework will be coming from the floor. Whether the radiator is sat on the floor or hung from the wall, the pipework can come from wherever it is required.
Which valves you will need will depend on two things, firstly whether your radiator has side or underside connections and secondly where your pipework is currently coming from in your home (the wall or the floor).
Do I need straight, angled or corner radiator valves?
Side connections:
The position of the valves are situated at either side of the radiator near the bottom.
Underside connections:
The position of the valves are situated underneath the radiator at either end or centrally.
See our guide below - How to work out which radiator valves you will need:
- Side connections with pipes coming up from the floor = you need “angled” valves.
- Underside connections with pipes coming up from the floor = you need “straight” valves
- Side connections with pipes coming out of the wall = you may choose between “angled” or “corner” valves. Traditionally installers would use angled valves, however it’s been discovered that a neater alternative is to use corner valves, as this means that the heads of the valves would sit upright, rather than protruding into the room like with an angled valve.
- Underside connections with pipes coming out of the wall = you can choose from “angled” or “corner” valves. Traditionally installers would use angled valves, but again corner valves would be a neater alternative
If you are starting from scratch then there will not be any pipes currently installed, in which case you should be able to choose where you want the pipes coming from; the wall or the floor. This gives you more flexibility when it comes to choosing your radiator valves. But in most cases, the pipework will already be installed in which case you’ll need to get the correct radiator valves to suit your existing pipework.
What are thermostatic radiator valves?
Now you’ve decided whether you need straight, angled or corner valves, the next step is to decide whether you’d like manual or thermostatic valves. The main difference between them both is that a thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) shuts off once your radiator has reached the desired temperature in the room, whereas a manual valve only shuts off if you physically turn it off. With the un-predictable climate here in the UK, a TRV is a great option to have as it makes sure you are not heating up your room unnecessarily. It is a simple and cost-effective solution.
We have various radiator valves available on our website; straight, angled and corner valves. From the simple manual valves such as the Heating Style Square Radiator Valves to the decorative thermostatic valves for example our Heating Style Period Style Westminster Thermostatic Radiator Valves, you can be sure to find the right one to suit your radiator.