Does smart TRV work with district heating?

Yes! District heating works exactly like regular central heating. The TRV just controls how much hot water flows through the radiator. You don't need to change anything about your district heating system.

Can I mix different TRV brands?

Yes, with Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT/ZHA you can freely mix Sonoff, Aqara, Moes, etc. Better Thermostat integration helps unify them.

Typically 15-25% on heating bills. Savings come from: 1) Only heating when you're home, 2) Lower temperature in unused rooms, 3) Automatic off on open windows, 4) Night temperature reduction.

Do I need an external temperature sensor?

Recommended! The TRV's built-in sensor sits close to the radiator and often measures 2-4°C too high. An external sensor (Aqara, Sonoff) gives much more accurate temperature control.

What about underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is typically controlled by a separate thermostat, not TRV. See our guide to underfloor heating controllers. You can still integrate these with Home Assistant.

Do batteries last all winter?

Most TRVs last 6-12 months on a set of AA batteries with normal use. Sonoff and Aqara are among the most energy efficient.

Smart Thermostats & Climate Control

Zigbee Energy Savings TRV

Smart heating is one of the best investments in smart home. With smart radiator valves (TRV) you can save 15-25% on heating bills by heating rooms individually and only when you’re home.

🔑 What Is A Smart TRV?

A TRV (Thermostatic Radiator Valve) is a thermostat valve that sits on your radiator. A smart TRV can:

✅ Be controlled from phone or Home Assistant
✅ Follow schedules (heat up before you wake)
✅ Detect open windows and turn off
✅ Use external temperature sensor
✅ Integrate into automations

Smart TRV vs Complete System

Zigbee TRV (DIY)	Complete System (Tado/Netatmo)
✅ Cheaper per unit	✅ Plug-and-play setup
✅ Full control via Home Assistant	✅ Nice app for the whole family
✅ No cloud dependency	✅ Geofencing built-in
✅ Mix different brands	✅ Support and warranty
❌ Requires more setup	❌ More expensive
❌ No official support	❌ Cloud-dependent (most)
❌ Cannot call for heat*	❌ Locked to one ecosystem

*Most TRVs can only open/close the valve - they cannot turn on the boiler. You need a separate thermostat or relay for that.

🏆 Zigbee TRV Comparison

Overview

Model	Price ~	Display	Battery	HA Support	Score
Sonoff TRVZB	$35	Vertical LED	2x AA	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Aqara E1	$50	Side LCD	2x AA (incl.)	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Moes ZTRV-BY-100	$28	Side LCD	2x AA	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Tuya TS0601	$25	Varies	2x AA	⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐
Danfoss Ally	$70	LED	2x AA	⭐⭐⭐⭐	⭐⭐⭐⭐

🥇 Sonoff TRVZB - Best Value

Why Sonoff TRVZB?

Price: ~$35

Sonoff TRVZB is our top recommendation for most people:

✅ Excellent price/quality ratio
✅ Vertical LED display (easy to read)
✅ Click-wheel for manual operation
✅ Window detection
✅ Child lock
✅ Full Zigbee2MQTT/ZHA support
✅ 6 adapters included (M30x1.5 + Danfoss RA, RAV, RAVL)

Disadvantages:

❌ Cannot report valve position precisely
❌ On/off behavior (not modulating)

Technical Specifications

Spec	Value
Protocol	Zigbee 3.0
Battery	2x AA (6-12 months)
Connection	M30x1.5 + adapters
Temp range	4-35°C / 39-95°F
Temp step	0.5°C / 1°F
Display	Vertical LED matrix
Features	Schedule, Window detect, Child lock

Installation

Remove old valve - Unscrew the old TRV
Choose adapter - Find the right one for your radiator
Mount Sonoff - Hand-tighten onto valve
Insert batteries - 2x AA
Pair with Zigbee - Hold button 5 sec

Home Assistant

With Zigbee2MQTT:

climate:
  - name: "Living Room Radiator"
    preset_modes:
      - manual
      - holiday
    # External temperature sensor
    local_temperature_calibration: auto

Available entities:

climate.living_room_radiator
sensor.living_room_radiator_battery
switch.living_room_radiator_child_lock
switch.living_room_radiator_window_detection

Buy: AliExpress, ITEAD, Amazon

🥈 Aqara E1 - Premium Quality

Why Aqara E1?

Price: ~$50

Aqara E1 is the premium choice with best build quality:

✅ Excellent build quality
✅ Beautiful design
✅ Click-wheel with good feedback
✅ Can use external Aqara temp sensor
✅ HomeKit compatible (via Aqara hub)
✅ Batteries included
✅ 5-year warranty

Disadvantages:

❌ More expensive than competitors
❌ Display on the side (can be hard to see)
❌ Some report noise during valve movement

Technical Specifications

Spec	Value
Protocol	Zigbee 3.0
Battery	2x AA (included, 12+ months)
Connection	M30x1.5 + 3 adapters
Temp range	5-30°C / 41-86°F
Temp step	0.5°C / 1°F
Display	Side-mounted LCD
Features	Schedule, Window detect, External sensor

Buy: AliExpress, Amazon

💰 Budget: Moes/Tuya TRV

Price: ~$25-28

Moes and other Tuya-based TRVs are the cheapest, but with compromises:

Pros	Cons
✅ Very cheap	❌ Lower build quality
✅ Works with Z2M	❌ Touch interface (impractical)
✅ Many adapters	❌ Display hard to see
	❌ Inconsistent quality
	❌ Full open on low battery!

Buy: AliExpress (search “Tuya TRV Zigbee”)

🏠 Complete Systems

If you prefer a finished solution with app and support:

Comparison

System	Hub	TRV Price	Local control	HA Integration
Tado	Yes (incl.)	~$70	❌ Cloud	✅ Good
Netatmo	Yes	~$85	⚠️ Partial	✅ Good
Drayton Wiser	Yes	~$50	⚠️ Partial	✅ Good
Danfoss Ally	No (Zigbee)	~$70	✅ Local	✅ Perfect

Tado

Pros:

Beautiful design and app
Geofencing
OpenTherm support (modulating boiler)
Matter support (coming)

Cons:

Expensive
Cloud-dependent
Subscription for all features

Netatmo

Pros:

Good app
No subscription
Beautiful design

Cons:

Expensive
Partially cloud-dependent

🧠 Better Thermostat Integration

Better Thermostat is a HACS integration that makes your “dumb” TRVs smart:

Features

✅ Uses external temperature sensor (not TRV’s inaccurate sensor)
✅ Window/door sensors (turn off when open)
✅ Weather forecast integration
✅ Group multiple TRVs per room
✅ Improved algorithm for energy savings

Installation

HACS → Search “Better Thermostat”
Install and restart
Add integration → Better Thermostat
Configure:
- Select your TRV climate entity
- Select external temperature sensor
- Add window/door sensors

Example Configuration

# configuration.yaml or via UI
climate:
  - platform: better_thermostat
    name: "Living Room Heat"
    thermostat: climate.living_room_radiator_trv
    temperature_sensor: sensor.living_room_temperature
    window_sensors:
      - binary_sensor.living_room_window
    outdoor_sensor: sensor.outdoor_temperature

⚡ Calling For Heat

Most Zigbee TRVs can only open/close the valve. They cannot turn on your boiler.

Solutions

1. Existing thermostat: Keep your normal thermostat and let it call for heat. The TRVs only control local temperature.

2. Smart relay: Use a Shelly 1 or similar to turn the boiler on/off based on whether any TRV needs heat.

3. OpenTherm: If you have a modulating boiler, an OpenTherm gateway (e.g., OTGW) can provide precise control.

Home Assistant Automation

# Turn on boiler when a TRV calls for heat
automation:
  - alias: "Boiler on/off"
    trigger:
      - platform: template
        value_template: >
          {{ states.climate
             | selectattr('attributes.hvac_action', 'eq', 'heating')
             | list | count > 0 }}
    action:
      - choose:
          - conditions: "{{ trigger.to_state.state == 'True' }}"
            sequence:
              - service: switch.turn_on
                entity_id: switch.boiler_relay
          - conditions: "{{ trigger.to_state.state == 'False' }}"
            sequence:
              - service: switch.turn_off
                entity_id: switch.boiler_relay

📊 Zigbee TRV Compatibility

Radiator Type	M30x1.5	Danfoss RA	Danfoss RAV	Danfoss RAVL
Sonoff TRVZB	✅	✅	✅	✅
Aqara E1	✅	⚠️	⚠️	⚠️
Moes	✅	✅	✅	✅
Danfoss Ally	✅	✅	✅	✅

⚠️ = Requires separate adapter

🛒 Buying Strategy

Starter (~$140)

3x Sonoff TRVZB ($105)
1x Aqara temperature sensor ($21)
Use existing Zigbee coordinator
Total: ~$126

Mid-range (~$350)

6x Sonoff TRVZB ($210)
3x Aqara temperature sensor ($63)
3x Aqara door/window sensor ($42)
1x Shelly 1 for boiler control ($17)
Total: ~$332

Premium (~$560)

8x Aqara E1 TRV ($400)
4x Aqara temperature sensor ($84)
4x Aqara door/window sensor ($56)
Better Thermostat integration
Total: ~$540

🛒 Where to Buy?

Zigbee TRV

AliExpress - Cheapest (Sonoff, Aqara, Moes)
ITEAD - Official Sonoff
Amazon - Fast delivery

Complete Systems

Tado - Official
Amazon - Tado, Netatmo
Best Buy - Various brands

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Ofte stillede spørgsmål

Does smart TRV work with district heating?: Yes! District heating works exactly like regular central heating. The TRV just controls how much hot water flows through the radiator. You don't need to change anything about your district heating system.
Can I mix different TRV brands?: Yes, with Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT/ZHA you can freely mix Sonoff, Aqara, Moes, etc. Better Thermostat integration helps unify them.
How much can I save?: Typically 15-25% on heating bills. Savings come from: 1) Only heating when you're home, 2) Lower temperature in unused rooms, 3) Automatic off on open windows, 4) Night temperature reduction.
Do I need an external temperature sensor?: Recommended! The TRV's built-in sensor sits close to the radiator and often measures 2-4°C too high. An external sensor (Aqara, Sonoff) gives much more accurate temperature control.
What about underfloor heating?: Underfloor heating is typically controlled by a separate thermostat, not TRV. See our guide to underfloor heating controllers. You can still integrate these with Home Assistant.
Do batteries last all winter?: Most TRVs last 6-12 months on a set of AA batteries with normal use. Sonoff and Aqara are among the most energy efficient.

📚 Next Steps

Zigbee Sensors

Temperature and window sensors.

See sensors →

Automations

Smart heating control automations.

Learn more →

Last updated: December 2025

Smart Thermostats & Climate Control

🔑 What Is A Smart TRV?

Smart TRV vs Complete System

🏆 Zigbee TRV Comparison

Overview

🥇 Sonoff TRVZB - Best Value

Why Sonoff TRVZB?

Technical Specifications

Installation

Home Assistant

🥈 Aqara E1 - Premium Quality

Why Aqara E1?

Technical Specifications

Installation

Home Assistant

With External Sensor

💰 Budget: Moes/Tuya TRV

🏠 Complete Systems

Comparison

Tado

Netatmo

🧠 Better Thermostat Integration

Features

Installation

Example Configuration

⚡ Calling For Heat

Solutions

Home Assistant Automation

📊 Zigbee TRV Compatibility

🛒 Buying Strategy

Starter (~$140)

Mid-range (~$350)

Premium (~$560)

🛒 Where to Buy?

Zigbee TRV

Complete Systems

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Ofte stillede spørgsmål

📚 Next Steps

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