Is it true you can loosen off the nuts and lift/drop/flap the radiator to the floor to paper behind it? I have a pressurised system with thermostatic valves on, and don't want to drain the system and mess with inhibitor.
I was also wondering if it is worth pasting some tin foil on the wall behind the radiator while I was at it.
Bob
Yes you can, with a few caveats.
When you close off the radiator valves, note the settings, especially of the lockshield valve very carefully. Otherwise, you will have to rebalance the system.
The valves may not give a perfect seal, so be prepared with vessels that can take a small amount of weeping from the unions.
Make sure that you have collecting vessels that will take the content of the radiators. Cat litter trays from the supermarket are good for this.
Bear in mind that the liquid inside is a very good indellible dye, so make sure that you have ample floor protection and mopping up capability.
In the radiators, you may also find some sludge. A good move is to tape a plastic bag over each union and take the radiator outside. Give it a good flush through with a hose or pressure washer.
Bear in mind that radiators can be heavy.
When you replace the radiator, you will have diluted the corrosion inhibitor - assuming there was some in the system in the first place. You would tell that by the presence or absence of sludge. One easy way to address this is to use some gel type corrosion inhibitor. You can squirt some of this into a radiator while empty.
After you have reinstated the radiator, you will need to top up the system to the required pressure - normally 1.0 to 1.5 bar - using the filling loop. You can then vent out the air and if need be top up again.
If the wall is an outside one and poorly insulated then this can be useful.
.andy
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Hmmm, I was thinking of leaving the radiator connected and full to save messing. Is this possible?
The wall is double brick, with no insulation (except the air gap). Is it going to save any energy? I suppose 10p worth of tin foil is no biggie, just don't want to do something if it doesn't work. Would wallpaper paste be the ideal adhesive?
Bob
You will have to at least loosen the unions after you have turned off the valves.
If you are lucky, there will be some vertical give in the pipes and you would be able to lift the radiator up and forward,.
However, there will be some seepage from the unions, either way, and if you have no vertical movement you will have to undo them and empty the radiator.
The radiator, filled with water, will be quite heavy so be careful.
I believe that you can get reflective material with adhesive backing specifically for the job.
You may get some benefit from it, but I don't think that it will be huge
.andy
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I have had to do this quite a few times in recent years and it depends if you have some vertical play in the connecting pipes.
Whatever the size of the rad, it is a 2 person job, unless you want puddles.
I would suggest that you start by simply lifting the radiator straight up to see if the pipes will allow vertical movement. No more.
If you can move it, note the height that it can be lifted and make supports to go under it and hold it up off the supports. I used old books. Two lifted and a third person placed the books.
Next gently loosen the nuts holding the valves on, only half a turn as water will leak. Then try to pull the rad down like a drawbridge, towards you. Have the third person pay particular attention to keeping the nuts loose as the pipework can be bent or pulled out of the valve easily.
If it swings down, the books still take most of the weight and you have access.
Refitting is just a reversal, although you may need to tighten the nuts as it goes up again.
Leaks can be caught by cooking tins quite effectively.
The water in old rads is utterly disgusting and will totally ruin any flooring.
I don't think I would try this with micro-bore pipe - it bends too easily!
Neither would I. :))
Use proper radiator foil. This has a 3mm foam insulating backing. If your walls are solid brick, like mine, you'll find it makes a big difference. I can slip my hand behind the foil and the brick is now cold. I am unfortunately unable to insulate the exterior walls, although the entire house has a surprisingly high SAP rating.
You can get a roll for 5 or 10 quid at most sheds. There was enough on the roll to do my entire house.
Christian.
Don't think I will be doing this - I tried to lift it, but there is no play on one side. I will have to invest in some litter trays...
My water is totaly clear. The inhibitor must be working well.
Bob
That's good, otherwise I would have suggested a visit to the doctor :-)
Seriously though, don't assume that this means an absence of sludge in the bottom of the radiators. It could simply be that not having run it over the summer has resulted in any deposits settling out.
In other words don't assume clean water when you open the unions.
When there is a decent dose of inhibitor, the water should be straw colour..... Kind of like......
.andy
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Nicely censored... The "sample" I took was in winter (stirry season in these parts) when opening the bleed valves for the hell of it (software engineer, must optimise!!!). Nice, drinkable (looking) water. I have previously bled rads in another house and had nice black stainy ink come out.
Bob
Apropos the above, does it depend on whether one has has an open-vented or sealed system? In which case, what is the easiest way to teel the two apart? I'm in one of two flats in an Edwardian semi and can't follow all the pipework. Even the page in
Look for a filling loop, a braided length of flexi pipe used to repressurise a sealed system. (Usually near the boiler)
Don.
Bigger give away pressure gauge on the boiler...
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