Can I shut off my radiators?

Mike T., Swampeast MO

As was mentioned, clockwise shuts the valve. Particularly if this is an old system that used to operate under gravity (VERY common for systems with standing radiators), you're likely to find an "all or nothing" situation, or you might even find that fully closing them seems to do almost nothing to reduce the heat. Adjusting for a "little less heat" is usually somewhere between difficult and impossible. If you succeed, as soon as you or anyone else adjusts another valve, your "balance" will be destroyed.

At least there's almost no danger of the radiators themselves freezing unless you shut off LOTS of them and/or turn the thermostat WAY down and/or have EXTREMELY cold weather with little or no insulation. The valves have a small hole to guarantee some flow, plus they were never designed for 100% positive shutoff.

Simply replacing them with modern versions of the same form of valve won't really help unless the old ones are leaking and beyond repair.

Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs) are WONDERFUL for standing iron radiators. Price is moderate, but a genuine bargain for what they will do: allow each and every space to be accurately and independently kept at whatever temperature you desire.

Rodney Summers

can i shut off my radiators?

Hello all! I hope this isnt too stupid a question for this list, but ive looked all over the internet and havent found a good answer...

How do i shut off hot water radiators?

My radiators have two pipes coming into the same side, one at the top with no valve (which seems hotter), and one towards the floor with a valve on it.

Not all the valves are the same--and so heres my question:

One ("Detroit" brand) has a little "leg" on it that hits a stop, and that one only turns a half turn. how do I know where "off" is?

The others turn only about 1/4 turn. Some of these say "crane" amd some have no brand. Thats even more confusing! Where is off on these?

I did read that they are designed so they cant be completely shutoff (allowing freezing) but I want to reduce the heat in a couple of rooms...i did have a contrctor in but he said they were all "obsolete" and needed replacing immediately.

I may not know much, but I know thats wrong. Its true a couple are stuck and cant be turned at all, but there not in the rooms I want a little cooler. Oh, none of them leak if that matters.

thanks!

Martha

Dale

Perhaps

Well, you may be able to shut them off without doing anything that will make something else shut off or breaking something. I can say for sure and with confidence that before you attempt anything to do with water, gas or electricity that you first know how to shut off the source in case anything unforseen happens. So, since it's water make sure you know where the main water shutoff valve is in your house and that you personally can shut it off, try it and make sure. Then find the water makeup supply to your boiler and make sure you can shut that off. If you break a rad valve you won't have a large leak. As to the rad valves some really old ones were 1/4 turn to stop, these would have a lever handle, most old one were screw turn off. Most contractors don't like to mess with old valves since it often costs them and the HO more $ in the long run. However you can try to close them and if you break one just have it fixed. Depending on how many radiators are on one supply pipe turning off one will turn off one or more. If you have a nice old system where you can turn off just one rad the nice way to go is to have a thermostatic valve installed, that way you set each rad to the room temp you choose. Good luck.

Rodney Summers

no worries...

I do know where all the main shutoffs are. I also dont intend to force any of of the individual valves (and they are all dedicated to each radiator, the system is from 1919)

Still, i cant tell whats open and whats closed...

jeff_51

turning them clockwise closes them

Yes, some may be only quarter turn and may have had the handles replaced. Chances are you won't break them by trying to turn em. YOu may break a handle, but those are replaceable. Why shut em off? Sounds like you need to do some balancing. When was the last time a pro was in and looked over the system? May cost you some $ but a guy who knows the system can really make things hum and potentially solve alot of problems.