Household Hints & Help

no_hypocrisy

(48,821 posts) Thu Aug 28, 2014, 01:24 PM Aug 2014

Steam heating via radiators

I live in a house built in 1932. A radiator in every room.

But I'll only be using a fraction of the house during the winter.

How do you "turn off" the radiators in the rooms not used so I don't pay for unnecessary heat?

7 replies

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Steam heating via radiators (Original Post) no_hypocrisy Aug 2014 OP

That little black handle should shut off the hot water to the radiator. The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2014 #1

Turning the black valve clockwise (when viewed from above) should shut down that radiator. n/t PoliticAverse Aug 2014 #2

Thanks. If it's stuck, how do you loosen the little black knob? no_hypocrisy Aug 2014 #3

There should be a screw in the middle of the top of the knob. The Velveteen Ocelot Aug 2014 #4

If it's stuck, I wouldn't mess with it then. Kaleva Aug 2014 #5

Old black plastic knobs will tend to crack easily when you try to use force on them, PoliticAverse Aug 2014 #6

Frozen pipes break and leak. Plan a head. kickysnana Aug 2014 #7

The Velveteen Ocelot

(120,900 posts)

1. That little black handle should shut off the hot water to the radiator.

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Original post)

Thu Aug 28, 2014, 01:30 PM

Aug 2014

I like radiator heat. It's actually quite efficient.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

2. Turning the black valve clockwise (when viewed from above) should shut down that radiator. n/t

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Original post)

Thu Aug 28, 2014, 01:50 PM

Aug 2014

no_hypocrisy

(48,821 posts)

3. Thanks. If it's stuck, how do you loosen the little black knob?

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Original post)

Thu Aug 28, 2014, 01:58 PM

Aug 2014

The Velveteen Ocelot

(120,900 posts)

4. There should be a screw in the middle of the top of the knob.

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Reply #3)

Thu Aug 28, 2014, 02:13 PM

Aug 2014

Try loosening that. If it's stuck a bit of WD-40 might help.

Kaleva

(38,175 posts)

5. If it's stuck, I wouldn't mess with it then.

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Reply #3)

Thu Aug 28, 2014, 02:14 PM

Aug 2014

If one really wants to be able to close it, call in a pro and have them do it.

Ending up with a badly leaking valve, via the probably very old packing, and not being able to isolate the radiator isn't good.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)

6. Old black plastic knobs will tend to crack easily when you try to use force on them,

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Reply #3)

Thu Aug 28, 2014, 04:32 PM

Aug 2014

I replace them with metal ones (you remove the knob by removing the screw in the middle).

For stuck ones you can just try a pair of "Vise-Grips" gripping the shaft below the knob, but the
problem may just be that someone painted it shut or the valve packing (contained at the bottom
of the shaft secured by a large nut that the shaft goes through) has become solid and needs to be
replaced.

kickysnana

(3,908 posts)

7. Frozen pipes break and leak. Plan a head.

Reply to no_hypocrisy (Original post)

Thu Aug 28, 2014, 05:06 PM

Aug 2014

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