The valve on my radiator has numbers on it to determine the amount of air/steam leaving the heating system. what number should i put it on and how would i determine it
I would think the easiest way would be to put a thermometer on the radiator (with the bulb in the air flow), turn the heat on to one setting and record the temperatures each half hour for about 4 hours. Then, turn the adjustment to a higher (or lower) number and repeat that. That way, you'd know which way to turn to set it. Of course, the level at which you'd be comfortable would be found by trying different settings. Assuming the adustment is a valve, valves in the USA will open by turning counter-clockwise. Closing is, of course, clockwise. Hope that helps. EDIT: I received your email - I don't mind at all! OK, so you have only one valve for all the radiators. Without knowing anything else, I'd say you just removed the part called the bonnet (the upper half of a valve). It shouldn't matter which number it's set on if it's reinstalled correctly. When a valve is removed, the best way to put back is to open it slightly (turn counterclockwise to a low number), then reinstall the bonnet. Once it's back in, it should work like normal. If that doesn't work, perhaps you can get a plumber or a local handyman to check it. As to the upper ones being airlocked, it really sounds like there is a blockage in the supply line. I am assuming this is steam-heat radiator that is supplied by a boiler-type heating unit?
