Why you cap off TRV when you remove a radiator.

[Ian Middleton]

Little interesting story, happened to neighbour as to why you cap off thermostatic radiator valves when you remove a radiator.

The last icy snap we had couple of weeks ago, I was just about to get on my bike to go to work and freeze my bits off, met neighbour talking worriedly into mobile phone, saying "but tomorrow is no good, today would be nice".

Enquired a little further and found out he was trying to hire a wet/dry vacuum cleaner to suck up water, but none of the local hire shops had any left to hire today, but all could by tomorrow. Pressing a little further revealed he had removed the two radiators in his lounge whilst decorating, closing tightly the thermostatic valves. Anyway it looked like during the cold of the night both valves had openned on their frost setting and had been emptying water out all night flooding the lounge and kitchen in about

1/4 inch water !!!!! This was the second time the kitchen had been flooded, first time from a leak in rising main when house was new and the house builders replacement kitchenwas still newish !!!.

Anyway I lent him my wet/dry Earlex vacuum cleaner and my two brass end caps (and PTFE tape) that fit TRVs.

Came home to a very well used vacuum cleaner and his house full of dehumidifiers. Luckily hiscentral heating system had no inhibitor in from the builders and very little sludge was washed through so carpets dried up relatively stain and smell free.

[Malc]

BTDTGTTS. (Been there etc)

When I worked at Pottertons we had an experimental area in the R&D unit where I worked and also used an office with an internal window which overlooked this area, as a demo/training room for installers. We had just removed the boiler with the floor level flue and had left the hole for the flue uncapped overnight and had closed down the TRV on the radiator which had led to the boiler but which was now disconnected and open. In the morning we had a training session for a group of installers for the new Lynx boiler. Unfortunately it froze that night and the installers were greeted with the sight of half a dozen Pooterton employees paddling around with rolled up trousers and bare feet clearing up the mess.

We were proffessional honest.

-- Malc

[Scott]

Haha, that happened to my dad 2 years ago. His was worse, the cold snap lasted a week and he was on honey moon at the time. The neighbours called the fire brigade who turned the water off from outside as it was coming out under the front door. He had to kick the door in on his return as it had swollen so much it could not be opened.

How we now laugh at when my brother and I had to go around there and rip out the new carpets from 4 rooms...

Insurance company came good though, house rewired, new carpets, TVs, sofas, waldrobes. Most of it was not really that bad, we suspect that the loss adjuster was taking our stuff away and selling it on while giving us new!

[Christian McArdle]

One of the good reasons for a sealed pressurised system. The water loss is limited to the system's water capacity.

Christian.