It is the kind of task which can take just a few minutes to complete if your competent with what you are doing or £60 and quite possibly a day off work if you call in the pros. It might be that your currently decorating your home and can’t quite cover that last bit of wall surrounding your radiator. Or maybe your radiators are looking tired and are in dire need of a facelift, what ever the reason we have put together a straightforward guide to help you conquer the simple DIY task of removing a radiator.
Equipment List:
- Bucket, bowl or painting tray
- Towel or cloth (you could use an old piece of clothing which is fit for the bin!)
- PTFE Tape (don’t worry if you have no idea what this is, you can readily find PTFE tape at any DIY store, It is also known as plumbers tape which is used for sealing pipe threads for a tight and neat finish.)
If replacing the radiator you will also require the following:
You do not need to empty the entire system providing that you have no intention to extend or adjust any of the pipework other than the radiator valves. If you are replacing your radiator it is easier if you are replacing like for like it terms of dimensions! However If you do decide to install a wider radiator that extends beyond your current pipe work then you will need to drain the whole system in order to make adjustments to the pipework. Nevertheless don’t be intimated by the sound of this as It is relatively straight forward, however you will need to lift the flooring and skirting to enable access to the pipework.
Preparation
Whenever undertaking any type of plumbing work it is vital that you firstly locate exactly where the
stopcock or gate valve is in the case of an urgent crisis. Lay your towels and cloths all the way around the up stands remembering to take them all the way round the pipe.
Step 1. Begin by switching off the heating - next switch off the inlet valve also known as the control valve. The remaining valve is more readily known as the lock shield it’s job is to ensure that each radiator receives it’s allocation of flow, you may need to remove the plastic cover, using your adjustable spanner or pliers turn until closed.
Step 2. Place a painting tray, bowl or suitable container directly underneath the large nut (called the union nut) which is situated between the valve and the radiator. Depending on the size of the radiator and your container be prepared and have another container on standby just incase it is required. Now gently undo the union nut (remember to turn anti clockwise) whilst also holding the adjacent nut attached to the up stand valve with a suitable pipe wrench or grips. Refrain from using any lavish force as this may propel and distort the pipework, if your container is nearly full you may wish to tighten the nut back up so that you can empty your container into a bucket or place a secondary container in it’s place. You can expect the water to be a dark and muddy colour especially in an older system.
Step 3. Once the radiator has been fully drained, disconnect the remaining valve and lift the radiator from its brackets whilst elevating at an angle to help drain any residual liquid. An extra pair of hands would be ideal at this point to help pack an old cloth into the two openings either side to prevent any small amount of liquid from leaking, whilst you hold the radiator. If you have decided to ditch your gas central heating system and upgrade to the latest energy efficient
electric radiators. Congratulations! You are nearly finished. All that is remaining is to touch up any imperfections in your plasterwork, decorate, and fix your new radiator to the wall. If replacing with a brand new WET radiator then it may be possible that your old brackets will fit your new radiator however if they don’t then you will need to unscrew the old brackets and fix the new brackets for your new radiator. If you are upgrading to a wider radiator then you will need to relocate your brackets to support the wider radiator. Remember to double check the area of wall that you are drilling into isn’t concealing any pipes or cables. You can purchase a multi purpose digital detector which has the ability to identify if there are any hidden pipes or cables where you are preparing to drill. You can purchase a multi purpose digital detector from any good DIY store with a price tag of around £15, it is certainly worth the assurance that you won’t have any costly surprises once you begin drilling!
Step 4. Upon inspecting your area of wall which has been hidden behind that radiator you may wish to make repairs to any crumbling plaster or if you are decorating continue with a professional painted finish. Once you are happy with the condition of your wall and have your wall mounted brackets installed gently unfasten the valve connectors from the old radiator with an adjustable spanner or if you are fitting new shiny ones even better. If you are using your old valves tenderly give the threads a thorough clean with some wire wool, next place the PTFE (plumbers tape) approximately 6 times to allow for a snug seal. Screw the connectors back on to the radiator whilst double checking they are securely fastened. Afterwards hang the radiator on to the brackets and connect the valves and turn them back on in order for the water to flow back into the radiator and out again. If you have opened the air valve then you will need to keep this open to allow for the air to get out, remember to close it off once the water becomes visible.
Corrosion inhibitor
Corrosion inhibitor is more commonly installed with a new system however it can be applied at any stage. The best practice when planning to use corrosion inhibitor is to entirely flush the system even if you have simply replaced one or two radiators. Upon draining the radiator you may of noticed a murky appearance in the water that flowed out, this colour is down to the waters reaction with the metal causing it to rust and create a sediment within the system which can significantly impair the performance of your central heating system. Inevitably removing and replacing any radiator you will loose a percentage of corrosion inhibitor from the system forcing it to be more vulnerable to corrosion. For this reason it will pay dividends to maintain the upkeep of inhibitor in your system, It’s not expensive costing around £7 for a typical average household system and worth every penny. Much like a car demands oil to maintain its engine, your central heating system requires a corrosion inhibitor to keep maintain it’s performance.
