Balancing valve for setting up a heating system

It takes more than just turning on the heat and hoping for the best to set up a heating system in your house. Maintaining a comfortable temperature in every room while avoiding energy or financial waste requires a careful balance. The balancing valve is one crucial element needed to achieve this balance. This little-known but essential device helps your heating system be adjusted so that heat is distributed evenly throughout your house.

Consider a balancing valve as the conductor of an orchestra, making sure that every instrument—in this case, a radiator—plays its part in unison. Inefficient and uncomfortable conditions could result from some rooms being overheated while others stay cold due to improper balancing. A balancing valve can be installed and adjusted correctly to maximize the efficiency of your heating system, resulting in increased comfort and lower energy costs.

So what is the precise function of a balancing valve? To put it simply, it controls how much hot water flows through each radiator in your heating system. You can modify the flow to each radiator separately with the balancing valve because different rooms in your house need different amounts of heat. This implies that you can turn down the heat in less-used areas like guest rooms or storage areas and turn up the heat in areas like the living room or bedrooms, which are used more often.

Your heating system runs blindly without a balancing valve, supplying each radiator with the same amount of hot water regardless of real demand. As a result, certain rooms may overheat while others may not warm up sufficiently. Furthermore, an unbalanced system may force your boiler to operate harder than it needs to, increasing energy use and expenses.

Fortunately, balancing valve installation is a reasonably easy and affordable fix for these issues. Balancing valves can save you time, money, and aggravation in the long run, regardless of whether you’re installing a new installation or retrofitting an old one. We’ll go into more detail about balancing valves’ operation, significance, and proper configuration in the sections that follow in order to maximize the heating efficiency of your house.

Why are balancing valves needed

Note right away that not all systems need to be balanced in this way. For instance, if the pipe diameters are chosen appropriately and the spacing between the devices is minimal, two to three short dead end branches with two batteries on each can be added right away and put into regular operation. Let’s now examine two scenarios:

1. 2-4 branches of heating of unequal length with the number of radiators from 4 to 10 are connected to the boiler.
2. The same alignment, but with batteries equipped with thermostatic valves (described in another publication).

In scenario No. 1, more heat will be received by the first heating devices near the boiler because water always flows along the path with the least hydraulic resistance. The final batteries in the chain are heated considerably less if the coolant flow to these radiators is unrestricted; this temperature differential can reach 10 °C or higher.

Radiator balancing valves, as seen in the picture, are positioned on the eyeliners of the nearby appliances to direct the necessary amount of coolant to the long batteries. They restrict the water duct, partially covering the pipe passage section and raising the site’s hydraulic resistance.

Similar controls are in place for coolant supply in systems that have five or more dead end branches. Pipeline-specific manual balancing taps are installed on the inserts near the heat generator. They guide the main stream farther along the roadway while partially overlapping the water’s path.

The second situation is more challenging. When radiator thermostats with heads are installed, the coolant flow rate can be adjusted automatically as needed. However, consider that the room nearest the boiler had its window open, the outside temperature had dropped, and the thermostat had been fully set. The final room will subsequently get colder as well since the first battery isn’t removing enough heat from there.

As shown in the scheme above, balancing valves are paired with automatic pressure changes on long branches that have a lot of heating appliances with thermal heads.

Balance cranes are connected to regulators through capillary tubes, which react to changes in water flow to keep return pressure constant. Then, even with thermal valves operating, all consumers have an adequate supply of coolant. The following video goes into great detail about the advantages of these adjusting cranes:

Where to put the valve

Radiator valves are mostly operated manually in private homes. There are sufficient of them to set up the standard water heating system in cottages up to 500 m² in size. In these situations, the primary type of balancing cranes is installed:

• in buildings with an extensive heating network consisting of many risers;
• in apartment buildings heated by their own boiler room;
• When strapping a solid fuel boiler with a heat accumulator.

We indicate the precise locations of the balancing valves’ installation once we have determined their purpose. It is necessary to position radiator cranes at the batteries’ output and the mains on the return pipe with a chilled coolant. Depending on the intended scheme, an element that is part of a pair with an automatic pressure regulator can be placed on either the supply or reverse pipeline.

Citation. The balancing crane in steel and aluminum radiators with a lower connection is integrated into a unique add-on meant to connect the carts to such machinery.

We draw attention to the following instances in which the regulatory valves are not required:

• In dead end systems of small length with “shoulders” equal in hydraulics;
• If all batteries are equipped with thermostatic valves with an intendedness;
• on the last (dead end) radiator;
• In collector -type heating systems.

It is sufficient to install a cutting-off ball crane at the heating device’s output because thermoregulators, which function as balance valves while standing on the water supply to the battery, also perform this function. The radiator chain’s eyeliners are reinforced with the same material, and since regulating it is useless, it needs to be fully opened.

Design and principle of operation

The components of a radiator crane intended for manual heating balancing are as follows:

1. Brass housing with threaded pipes for connecting pipes. Inside the casting method, the saddle is made – a vertical round channel that expands a little upward.
2. A shut-off-regulating spindle with a working part in the form of a cone included when twisting into the saddle and limiting the flow of water.
3. Epdm rubber sealing rings.
4. Protective plastic or metal cap.

Note: There are two types of valves available: straight and corner, from all reputable manufacturers, including Danfoss, Herz, and Caleffi. Just the form is altered; the underlying idea of operation remains unchanged.

The diagram above provides additional information about the balancing valve. It demonstrates how the passage section can increase or decrease as a result of the spindle’s rotation, and how adjustment is made. Depending on the crane manufacturer, the number of revolutions from closed to the most open position ranges from three to five. You must use a standard or unique hexagon-shaped key in order to turn the stem.

The primary cranes vary in terms of radiator diameters, spindle tilt, and fittings intended for:

• drain of the coolant;
• connection of measuring devices;
• connection of the capillary tube from the pressure regulator.

As a point of reference. For instance, some Oventrop brand radiator valve models come with a drain pipe.

The introduction of new high-tech products has led to a constant expansion in the range of balance cranes. An equipped vertical Caleffi valve manufactured in Italy serves as an example.

How to assign a radiator network

Heating system installers typically calculate the step of adjustment by dividing the number of balancing valve revolutions by the number of heating devices. This is how they set the heat carrier on the batteries. Closing the taps with the difference that results, move from the last radiator to the first.

For instance. We have five radiators with manual Overtrop valves that are in a deadlock system that requires 4.5 spindle revolutions on one "shoulder." We obtain a step of adjustment of roughly 0.9 turnover when we divide 4.5 by 5. Thus, the heating device that is penultimate opens with 3.6 turns, the third with 2.7, the second with 1.8, and the first with 0.9 turnover.

The method can be used as a preliminary setting that can be adjusted during operation because it is very approximate and does not account for the different power of the batteries.

Vladimir Sukhorukov, our skilled specialist, provides an alternative method that is based on taking the heater surface’s actual temperature. The following are step-by-step instructions for balancing:

1. Open all balancing valves as much as possible and bring the system to the operating mode with a feed temperature of 80 ° C.
2. Contact thermometer measure the temperature of all heating devices.
3. Eliminate the resulting difference by twisting the taps of the first and medium radiators, do not touch the final. Open the near battery by 1-1.5 rpm of the valve, medium – 2-2.5.
4. Let the system adapt to new settings for 20 minutes and repeat the measurements. Your task is to achieve a minimum temperature difference between a battery closest and closest to the boiler.

Note: Only the variation in radiator heating matters; the street’s temperature and the weather have no bearing. In addition, the supply of the Delta temperature will be even lower in the typical operating mode, which operates between 50 and 70 °C. Watch the expert’s video to learn how balancing valves help the system balance hydraulically:

Comfort and financial savings depend on your home heating system operating at peak efficiency. This balance is achieved in large part by the balancing valve, which controls the hot water flow throughout the system. Homeowners can improve the efficiency of their heating systems by making educated decisions by knowing how it functions and how important it is.

The ability of a balancing valve to maintain constant temperatures throughout the house is one of its main advantages. This is especially crucial in larger houses or structures where different insulation levels or distances from the boiler can cause temperature swings. The balancing valve ensures that every room receives the proper amount of heat, removing cold spots and enhancing overall comfort by regulating the water flow to each radiator or heating zone.

Furthermore, considerable energy savings are possible with a heating system that is properly balanced. Homeowners can cut back on energy use and their heating costs by preventing overheating in some areas and underheating in others. By lowering carbon emissions linked to excessive energy use, this helps the environment sustainably and benefits their wallets as well.

Installing a balancing valve can also increase how long the heating system’s component parts last. Through the prevention of problems like boiler strain or pump overload, the valve contributes to the long-term upkeep of the system’s dependability and efficiency. In the long run, this can save homeowners time and money by lowering the need for pricey repairs and replacements.

To sum up, the balancing valve is an essential part of any heating system that gives homeowners the ability to maximize efficiency, enhance comfort, and save money and energy. Homeowners can reap the benefits of a more dependable and efficient heating system for many years to come by making an investment in a well-designed and installed balancing valve.

In setting up a home heating system, the balancing valve plays a crucial role in ensuring optimal performance and efficiency. This valve acts as a control mechanism, allowing you to regulate the flow of hot water through different parts of the system, such as radiators or underfloor heating circuits. By adjusting the flow rates, you can achieve a balanced distribution of heat throughout your home, preventing some areas from overheating while others remain chilly. This not only enhances comfort but also saves energy and reduces heating costs. Understanding how to properly install and adjust a balancing valve is essential for maximizing the effectiveness of your heating system and maintaining a comfortable indoor environment throughout the year.

Video on the topic

Hand balancing valves – master class

How to configure the automatic balancing valve ASV-PV, Danfoss

Manual balancing valves Danfoss. Hydraulic balancing of engineering systems

Balancing valve VT.054