The team at Fletcher’s Heating Services Ltd, based in Swindon, are always looking for new ways to ensure efficiency for their customers. Just as importantly, they also want to walk away from each job safe in the knowledge that their customers will enjoy maximum comfort according to their needs. That is why, for the past nine months, Fletcher’s director, Ben Fletcher, has taken to installing Drayton’s new range of Auto-balancing TRVs. Not only do they eliminate call backs due to uneven heating, but they provide his customers with the comfort and cost-savings they are looking for, especially during the cost-of-living crisis when efficiency is key. Here Ben explains why they have been nothing short of a game changer for him and his team.

“I first heard about the Auto-balancing TRV on a course I did through Kimbo Betty’s Heating Academy. Kimbo is a respected figure in the industry, and he knows his stuff, so I took a keen interest when he mentioned these Auto-balancing TRVs. Given that I’d heard lots about Drayton and had used its products on jobs before, I wanted to find out more.

“Since then, I have been installing these Auto-balancing TRVs with impressive results. I’ve definitely had customer call backs, but only the kind you want! Mainly customers calling to let me know that they are noticing a significant difference in how their homes are being heated, for the better. The main piece of feedback we tend to receive following an install is about how much more evenly distributed the heating in their home is, with no more hot and cold spots.

“I started installing the Auto-balancing TRVs as soon as I heard about them on my course, nine months ago, and I haven’t looked back since. There is nothing on the market quite like it. When I initially quote a job and hear customers complaining about the inconsistent heating they are experiencing, I start telling them all about the Auto-balancing TRVs, and the changes they can make in terms of efficiency and cost effectiveness, which makes them an easy sell.

“Earlier this year, I fitted a house with 23 Auto-balancing TRVs, which was a much larger system that I typically work on; my usual jobs tend to require only seven or eight. However, due to the size and heat loss of the property, this higher volume was required to achieve the same results.

“Many customers don’t have an expert understanding of how heating works, so I take a sense of pride in guiding and educating them. It is great to get them on board with products I know will make a difference to their daily lives, especially at a time when more customers are concerned about finding efficient ways to heat their homes.

“If people are paying more for their energy, they are more inclined to make sure that the heating runs more efficiently than before. Therefore, people are becoming better educated on the systems and products that are available for instillation to ensure they are getting their money’s worth and maximising their home comfort, which is very easily done, if you know how!

“Although the cost-savings aren’t often that noticeable over short periods, the difference in how houses are heated with the addition of Auto-balancing TRVs is instantly apparent to customers. For me, as an installer, it is also great to see how these small changes can result in the reduction of emissions and energy output. With heat distributed according to the size of the room, we can rest assured that no energy is going to waste. Therefore, for me there is no other option!”

Drayton Auto-balancing TRVs

Drayton’s Auto-balancing TRV4 and RT414 TRVs are made to ensure a permanently balanced heating system, which in turn creates more evenly distributed heat across the home. Typically, this can save up to 8.8% energy use in the average home, leaving customers content and installers without any dreaded call backs – saving time and money.

To get started, all an installer needs to do is identify the heat output from the radiator the TRV will be fitted to and correlate it to the correct position on the TRV using the setting table provided included with the product.

For existing radiators, where installers are unsure of the heat output, they can use the new handy valve setting calculator on Drayton’s website to determine the correct setting for each Auto-balancing TRV they are installing. The Drayton balancing key, or an 11mm spanner, can then be used to select the correct position.

This process takes just a few minutes, and once installed and set, the auto-balancing valves will ensure that radiators permanently receive the correct flow rate regardless of other TRVs opening and closing or changes to the system. Although, it is important note here that installers should respect the flow direction given that they are unidirectional, and to ensure that every radiator in the home has an Auto-balancing TRV fitted to ensure that the system is fully balanced.

To find out more about Drayton and its range of products, please visit: https://www.draytoncontrols.co.uk