Thermostatic Radiator Valves
A thermostatic radiator valve (TRV) is a self-regulating valve installed in a hot water (or steam) heating system radiator that regulates a room's temperature by altering the hot water's flow.
There are several manufacturers for TRVs including, but not limited to,Johnson controls, Honeywell, Siemens, Danfoss, Belimo, Asahi America etc.
TRVs can be a good alternative for zoning systems with mini-splits in homes for room-to-room temperature control as they are cheaper and easy to install (given automatic dampers with duct systems are rarely installed in residential homes).
There two broad types of TRVs:
- Non-smart TRV
Have setpoints say 1 to 5. Setting the TRV to “4” or “5 means that the radiator will turn on much more frequently than a setting of “1” or “2”. Picture below for T104A1040 – with integrated sensor.
There are some other ways to control a non-smart TRV using a
remote setpoint and a sensor with actuator connected to the radiator valve. The control point is set on a wall or the enclosure shell of the heating unit with adequate access.
Other options include controls such as the Honeywell’s HR90
digital TRV. This can fit directly on most currently manufactured Thermostatic
Radiator Valves (TRV's) with a M30 x 1.5mm thread.
- Smart TRVs
A smart valve can track the exact temperature of a room, and only hot water to pass into the radiator when a pre-defined temperature is hit.
This connects with, for example a smart hub, for control via phone
or PC applications.