Radiators Won’t Turn Off In Birmingham? We Recently Solved This Common Zone Valve Fault On Coventry Road
We were recently contacted by a landlord who owns a rental property just off Coventry Road in Birmingham after their tenant noticed something unusual.
Even though the heating controls had been switched off, several radiators around the property were still staying hot all day long.
This is a surprisingly common central heating fault that we regularly attend across Birmingham.
From Coventry Road and Small Heath to Sheldon, Yardley and Acocks Green, a radiator that won’t turn off is often a sign of a faulty motorised zone valve.
How The Customer Contacted Afterglow
As this was a rental property, the landlord needed somebody to attend quickly and arrange everything with minimal disruption to the tenant.
The customer contacted Afterglow Plumbing & Heating and was greeted by our helpful AI receptionist, Caroline.
Caroline quickly gathered all the information, including:
- Property address
- Contact details
- Description of the fault
- Tenant availability
- Boiler make and model
A convenient appointment was then arranged without the customer needing to wait around on hold.
Arriving At The Property
Our engineer attended the property on the same day.
The house was located just off Coventry Road, not far from Birmingham Airport, Sheldon Country Park and the Swan Shopping Centre, areas we regularly cover every week. Coventry Road itself is one of Birmingham’s best-known roads, running through areas including Small Heath, Bordesley Green, Yardley and Sheldon. (aghs.jimdofree.com)
After carrying out a full inspection, we found the problem immediately.
The motorised zone valve had failed in the open position.
This meant the heating system was constantly allowing hot water to circulate around the radiators, even when the controls had been switched off.
What Is A Zone Valve?
A zone valve is an electrically operated valve that controls where heated water travels around your central heating system.
When working correctly, it opens and closes depending on whether your heating or hot water is being requested.
When they fail, you may notice:
- Radiators staying permanently hot
- Heating that won’t switch off
- One heating zone permanently on
- Higher gas bills
- Poor heating control around the property
How We Repaired The Fault
As we carry common heating components on our vans, we were able to complete the repair on the same visit.
The process involved:
- Isolating and safely shutting down the heating system.
- Draining down the affected section of the central heating system.
- Removing the old faulty motorised zone valve.
- Installing a brand-new replacement valve.
- Wiring the new valve into the existing heating controls.
- Refilling and repressurising the heating system.
- Thoroughly testing the heating and hot water operation.
Everything was back up and running the very same day.
We Also Serviced The Boiler
As this was rented accommodation, the landlord took the opportunity to have some additional work completed whilst we were there.
We carried out:
- A full annual boiler service.
- A landlord gas safety inspection (CP12).
- Safety checks on the entire heating system.
- Confirmation that the new zone valve was operating correctly.
This helps landlords stay compliant while ensuring their tenants have a safe and efficient heating system.
If you’re a landlord in Birmingham, combining several jobs into one visit can often save both time and future call-outs.
Need Help If Your Radiators Won’t Turn Off?
If your radiators remain hot when your heating is switched off, don’t ignore the issue.
In many cases, it can be a simple repair if diagnosed early.
Afterglow Plumbing & Heating regularly repairs heating control faults throughout Birmingham, including Sheldon, Yardley, Acocks Green, Hall Green, Solihull, Moseley, Kings Heath and surrounding areas.
