If you are planning to buy a Hive smart radiator value (Hive smart TRV), or just wondering if it is worth the price, then read this detailed HIVE radiator valve review. Hive smart heating system by British gas is currently one of the best selling smart heating systems in UK. I have been using Hive heating for last 5 years to control our home’s central heating. Its worth mentioning here that the Hive heating can be used with or without Hive smart valves but adding the Hive smart valves gives you better control over your home’s heating system.
Hive Radiator Valve Review – Our verdict
Hive radiator valves can be a great addition to your homes heating system. Installing the smart valves in each room will enable you to have better control over your homes heating system. I found the installation and integration process with Hive app seamless. The valves calibrate in less than 4 hours to learn when the valve is open and closed. This one time calibration ensures your radiators heat to desired temperature in no time. Although the initial cost of £50 per valve seemed a bit high, considering I needed a smart valve in each room and hallways in the house. However, the long-term energy savings made by having a better control over our home’s heating system, made them a worthwhile investment.
In this review you will find expert insights, pros, cons and other important information about Hive smart radiator valve. If you are new to hive heating, then read this beginners guide to hive which I have written previously. I have also written comprehensive guide on Hive troubleshooting which gives solution to common Hive smart heating problems and issues.
Hive Smart Radiator TRV Valve Review
Hive Radiator Valve Review: What is Hive Smart Radiator Valve?
Hive smart radiator valve is a brilliant gadget! It lets you control temperature in each individual room. Once you have installed the hive radiator valves, you can turn off radiators in the rooms you don’t want to warm up with a single tap from your phone. Similarly, you can turn the radiators on in the rooms you want heating up. And that’s not all!
Hive Radiator Valve Review: Control Individual Rooms’ Temperature
Hive Radiator Valve Review – Where to buy Hive smart TRV?
Pack of 1 and pack of 5. Control the central heating in each individual room using your smart phone. You can do this from home or remotely.
Hive smart radiator valve lets you control temperature in each individual room – no more over heated rooms! Yes, you can also set different temperatures in each room. For example, you may have notice if you have one small room in your house, it will heat up very quickly compared to other rooms and becomes too hot. Hive lets to solve the problem of rooms overheating. Similarly, you may have a room which doesn’t warm up enough compared to rest of the house, you can also solve this problem by using hive smart radiator valve.
Hive Radiator Valve Review: Heating Schedules
In addition to the benefits mentioned above, you can also set heating schedules for each individual room. This means you can set schedules for the heating to come on in the rooms you selected in the app at the specified times.
For example, if you are working from home, you wouldn’t want to heat up the whole house. Instead, you can set schedule to turn on the radiator in the room you are working from during the day and leave rest of the radiators off. Similarly, during the evening you can set the heating to turn on only in the sitting room and keep it off or at low temperature in the rest of the house. However, we recommended even if you are only using one or two rooms in the evening. Turn the heating on in the rest of the house for just a few hours to avoid damp.
Controlling the heating in each individual room, lets you save energy costs.
How to install a Hive radiator TRV
By this point you are probably wondering if you need a professional installer for the hive smart radiator valves or if you can install these yourself.
The good news is: installing hive radiator TRV is extremally easy!
Step 1: Unscrew the existing TRV (the top part of the radiator valve – you do NOT need to drain or remove water from you radiators for this).
Step 2: Screw on the Hive TRV.
You are all done!
Please note: if you do not have TRV type valves already installed on your radiators, then you will need to change those by draining the radiators, unscrewing and installing newer TRV type valve base. For this, you will need to hire a professional. However the good news is, most houses these days do have TRV types valves instead of traditional non-TRV valves. Only if you have a very old heating system which hasn’t been upgraded in a while then you might have older non-TRV type valves which have to be changed before Hive smart valves can be installed.
Pro Tip: When checking if you have TRV type valve or non-TRV, check both sides of the radiator because only inlet sides are fitted with TRVs, the other side by default is non-TRV type.
Hive Radiator Valve Review: What do customers say?
Great bit of kit. Slotted straight into existing Hive system. Calibrated itself and works brilliantly with on-demand control of the boiler.
A reviewer from an online store Super easy to install. Allows us individual control of heating for each room and connects to the hive hub without issue.
A reviewer from an online storeEasy to fit, it took literally 3 minutes to fit, unfortunately it took 3 hours to calibrate but works beautifully after that
A reviewer from an online storeHive active plug to make standard appliances smart.
Hive Radiator Valve Review: Troubleshooting & Maintenance Tips for the Hive Radiator Valve
When it comes to keeping your Hive Radiator Valve in good working condition, regular maintenance and knowing how to troubleshoot common issues is important.
Below are a few handy tips;
Hive TRV Calibration Issues
If your Hive valve isn’t calibrating correctly, a quick reset can often solve this issue.
To do this:
- Remove the batteries for a few seconds from the Hive TRV
- Then reinsert the batteries and try again
If the above steps haven’t helped then, check that the valve pin is moving freely. You can do this by:
- Gently pressing on the pin with a coin
- If it feels sticky, applying a bit of appropriate silicone lubricant can help restore smooth movement.
Radiator Stays Warm When Turned Off
Sometimes, you may notice that a radiator stays warm despite the valve being turned off. This can happen if the valve doesn’t seal completely.
To fix this,
- Remove the Hive valve form the radiator
- Clean the pin, and ensure there are no obstructions
- Reinstall the valve, making sure it’s properly aligned
If the problem persists, consult your Hive app for further diagnostics
Connectivity and Temperature Issues
If the app isn’t updating the temperature or the valve seems unresponsive, then:
- Double-check the connection with the Hive Hub
- Unpairing and re-pairing the valve can often resolve these issue
- Additionally, check batteries incase they need replacing
These steps should ensure hive TRVs are working properly and efficiently all season long.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Hive Radiator Valves
Here are some of the most common questions Hive users ask about Hive Radiator Valves, along with practical solutions:
Do I Need a Hive Thermostat for My Radiator Valve to Work?
No, the Hive Radiator Valve can operate independently. However, pairing it with a Hive Thermostat offers enhanced control, allowing you to set schedules and manage heating more effectively across your home.
Are Hive Radiator Valves Compatible with All Radiator Types?
Hive Radiator Valves are designed to fit M30x1.5 radiator threads, which are quite common. However, if your radiator other fittings, you’ll need special adapters. These are available through Hive’s support or directly from Hive HomeHive Home.
Can I Adjust the Temperature Directly on the Valve?
Absolutely. Simply rotate the dial on the Hive Radiator Valve to select your desired temperature. You’ll see the current setting displayed on the small screen. Additionally, you can use the Hive app to control the temperature on hive TRVs.
In conclusion, if you already have Hive heating system at home and want to control temperature individually in all or some of the rooms then its worth installing Hive radiator valves.
