Guides · Heating
Thermostatic radiator valve options compared
Angled, straight and corner TRVs compared using the Wickes listings: pipe direction, whether a lockshield is in the box, temperature ranges where they are published, and the lines that disagree.
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Radiator valves and TRVs explains what a lockshield, a wheel head and a TRV do, and when a stuck pin or a valve body is a plumber's job. This page is the buying comparison: which shape matches the pipes, and what each Wickes listing does and does not tell you. We have not tested the valves. Nothing here is about the boiler. Gas work, the boiler casing and the gas valve are for a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Shape first, then the head
The pipes decide the body.
- Angled. The pipe comes up from the floor and the valve turns into the radiator. The usual choice when pipes rise in front of the wall.
- Straight. The pipe and the radiator connection are in line. Often the pipe comes straight out of the wall.
- Corner. The pipe comes out of the wall and still has to turn into the radiator. It is not the same body as an angled valve.
Measure what you already have before you buy. A chrome valve on a white radiator is a look, not a different function. A TRV head from one maker often does not fit another maker's body. The valve guide explains that.
If the radiator in question carries the room thermostat for the whole house, ask a heating engineer before you swap the valve. Bleeding and balancing is the guide for the lockshield once the valve is on. Towel rails use the same shapes.
What the listings publish
| Listing | Shape the page states | In the box, as Wickes describes it | Temperature | Limit on the listing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Drayton TRV4 chrome | Straight | Sensing head, 15mm straight valve, and a lockshield | Description says 10°C to 27°C. The specification maximum is 27°C | Specification says EN215. A features line says EN214 |
| Balterley chrome angled, pack of 2 | Angled, in the title | "2 radiator valves". It does not say one is a lockshield | Not stated | "For use with Balterley radiator and towel radiators" |
| Balterley chrome straight | Straight, in the title, which also says lockshield | Features say "2 radiator valves" | Not stated | The same Balterley-only line |
| K-Rad white corner | Corner. "Pipework through wall" | One radiator valve and one lockshield | "6 heat settings". No degrees | "For use with K-Rads radiators only" |
The white pair on the valve guide is a separate listing with its own published range. Do not copy that range onto the valves in this table. Only the Drayton page among these four publishes a degree range.
Where the pages disagree with themselves
The Drayton description says control from 10°C to 27°C. The specification line "Certifications met" says EN215. A features line says "Keymark approved to EN214". EN214 and EN215 are not the same citation. We have not decided which one is right. Check the box or ask Drayton before you rely on either number.
The Balterley straight title includes a lockshield. The features line only says two radiator valves. The angled pack's title does not say lockshield at all. If you need a matching lockshield, confirm the contents before you order. Both Balterley pages limit themselves to Balterley radiators and towel radiators. That is narrower than a general 15mm valve.
The K-Rad corner page says it is for K-Rad radiators only, even though it also says it suits standard 15mm pipes. If your radiator is another brand, this is the wrong listing. Six settings with no temperatures means you cannot compare it with the Drayton 10°C to 27°C range.
Valves at Wickes
Changing a valve body means isolating or draining the radiator. The valve guide sets out the points where you stop and call a plumber, including a seized tail and a sealed system you do not know how to refill. This page does not repeat that method.
We haven't tested this. Figures are as the maker states them (checked 13 November 2026).
Drayton TRV4 chrome straight valve and lockshield, 15mm. Wickes says the box contains a sensing head, a 15mm straight valve and a lockshield, with reverse flow. The description says 10°C to 27°C. The specification says EN215 and the features say EN214. Check that clash.
Balterley chrome angled thermostatic valves, pack of 2. Wickes says they are angled, 1/2in BSP, for Balterley radiators and towel radiators, and that the pack includes two radiator valves. It does not say one is a lockshield, and it gives no temperature range.
Balterley chrome straight TRV and lockshield. The title includes a lockshield. The features say two radiator valves and the same Balterley-only limit. No temperature range is published. Confirm the lockshield is in the box.
K-Rad white corner TRV and lockshield, 15mm. Wickes says it suits pipework through the wall, includes a valve and a lockshield, and has six heat settings. It also says it is for K-Rad radiators only. No degree range is given.
Are the numbers on a TRV room temperatures?
They are meant to be. The valve guide explains that. Only the Drayton listing on this page publishes a range, 10°C to 27°C, and even that page disagrees about the standard it cites. The other three listings do not publish degrees.
Can I put any of these on a towel rail?
Only if the listing allows that rail and the connections match. The Balterley pages mention Balterley towel radiators. The K-Rad page says K-Rad radiators only. See towel rails for the electric-element warning. A dual-fuel element is electrical work.
Does a new TRV involve the boiler?
The valve is on the radiator pipework. If the job touches the boiler, the casing or the gas supply, stop and use a Gas Safe registered engineer. We do not describe boiler work here.