Central heating Q.

[Dave Winters]

Central heating isn't my thing so apologies if this is a dumb question.

I need to remove a radiator to do some work - not on the central heating system you'll be pleased to hear :o) - and for various reasons it's likely it will be off for about 10 days or so. Obviously, we don't want to be without heating in the rest of the house for that period so my question is, what do I do?

Is it likely that each radiator has its own feed and return pipes all coming from/going to some central point - in which case, I presume I can just close the radiator valves and leave it like that until I'm ready to replace the radiator? Or is it more likely that water will flow through one radiator to the next, and the next, and so on in a loop, in which case I suppose I'll have to bridge the two ends with pipe to keep the water flowing?

The system is a Baxi Bermuda back boiler, about 15 years old.

TIA

Dave.

[Mike]

Most probably. Not always (there were systems called single pipe) but usually you'll be OK.

[Dave Winters]

Coo, that was quick :o)

Thanks Mike, I appreciate it.

Dave.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Even single pipe is OK if the radiator has valves at each side, as the pipe provides a path for the water flow.

If one end is a thermostatic radiator valve, then just turning that off probably isn't good enough -- they don't usually have an 'off' position, just a low or frost position. You need to remove the thermostatic head and replace it with the blind cap which comes with the valve, and will seal it off regardless of the temperature.

[Jeff]

Mike wrote :-

I thought single pipe was what i've got

______ ______ |__R__| |__R__| F____|_____|_________|_____|________R

excuse the crude art

Regards Jeff

[Mike]

If this is what you have then yes. Do you have valves both ends or just one ?

[Trevor Smith]

snipped >

It will be best to get two blanking caps with rubber washers from your local plumbers merchant (if you tell him what you are doing he will know what you want) to fit over each valve outlet just in case the valves let by or get knocked whilst working in that area.

Trevor

[Jeff]

Mike wrote :-

Valves are at both ends, one at top of rad and one at the bottom.

Regards Jeff