Getting round to ordering replacements for our leaky rads. Would like to replace with same sizes:
745mm high by 820mm long
590mm high by 1445mm long
I notice the Screwfix range only goes up to 600mm high, though 600x1400 may be ok for the longer one, in the 'plus' format we'd prefer they only go up to 1200.
Is the Screwfix range typical? Does anyone have recommendations for suppliers with a better range.
Oh, and any recommended links for getting rads bent for round bay windows (if not outrageously pricey).
go up to 700 high x 3000 long. I've had several from this place - very efficient and very competitive. [ISTR that they get delivered by the local Plumb Center - but at vastly lower prices than if you bought direct from Plumb Center]
I doubt whether you will get any exactly the same size as your existing ones. Are yours Imperial sizes? All the new ones are metric - usually sized as integral multiples of 100mm - and above 1200mm long, the step size is
Most unlikely - current ones are in multiples of 100mm.
No. Go to a plumber's merchant and you will be able to get any size manufacturered. Might have to wait for a day if it's not a stock item at the plumber's merchant.
Ask the plumber's merchant. Some of the manufacturers will do this if the plumber's merchant is dealing with them direct. Several years ago, I saw a special order UltraHeat one which had been dropped off at the plumber's merchant, awaiting collection.
It is a few years since I did a complete ch install, but at that time Stelrad (or its parent company) manufactured/sold its rads under various trade names some well known others not so - such as the 'Henrad' brand sold then by B&Q . With few exceptions the basic radiators seemed to be of identical construction, differences being in things like the clip on grills.
All my rads came from B&Q & have given no trouble whatsoever. Take care choosing radiator valves (which are not supplied with the rad). Avoid the basic cheapest offerings intended for low pressure (gravity) systems. Instead look out for valves specified for pressurized systems even if yours is a gravity system.
You won't do better than a Stelrad. I'd only look outside their range for a special requirement such as need to fit into an awkward space; a bright chrome or a stainless finish.
Instead of very large single panels consider double panels. Heat output from these us slightly reduced (c. 5%) area for area over area compared with doubled-area single panels due to reduced air circulation but they can return a very useful amount of wall spce to the room.
Trimming/rerouting CH copper pipe is easy & IMHO it is a better solution to change to standard metric sizes asap as everything is then easier - especially if alterations or repairs become necessary down the line.
CH radiator sizing is not all that critical. A good ch design will specify rad sizes to cope with the coldest days of the year (often assuming an outside temp of -1 deg C on those days). A good design might specify a 10% overrated boiler. Giving you a reasonable tolerance margin for comfort on exceptionally cold days.
So if you select sizes to keep your total rad panel area roughly the same within each heating zone, you won't go far wrong.
Made to order IIRC. Try asking a good, well established, plumbers merchant in your area to advise/quote.
The thought occurs: What is leaking? ie is it the rad panels themselves or the control valves?
If the latter they are easily & cheaply replaced as they all unbolt, with persuasion sometime ;-) NB for some you need a special slotted hex key - available off the shelf in B&Q; plumbcenter, etc.
If the former it may indicate you have a deeper sludge and corrosion problem - not so easy to deal with & solve for the long term. Is the corrosion on the outside of the panels or is it coming through from inside or are the panel seams giving way? Is there an inhibitor in the water?
sorry for missing this aspect in my first response, but HTH
You probably missed my question earlier this year, about how several rads had begun to spring leaks from the panels themselves. There are 3 downstairs rads, which are old, while the upstairs ones have been replaced over the last couple of years for different reasons. We did put anticorrode, and anti knock in at the time, after doing quite a lot of flushing and replacing a lot of the copper with plastic. Also a plumber has tapped into the hot water tank recently in fitting a shower in one of the bedrooms, and I don't know if he drained the system as we weren't here when he did it.
Anyhow, the downstairs ones all developed pinholes in the top part, one after the other around Christmas. I plugged these by tapping and screws, but it was clearly only going to be a short term fix, and one of the rads has now developed a further leak at the bottom. My earlier question was to ask if sealer solutions were any good, but nobody seemed to be speaking up for them so we didn't try them in the end. We have actually wanted to replace the biggest rad with a bay window one to gain wall space, for some time, so now would appear to be the time to replace all three (Unfortunately I have not been well and strong enough to look after these things in the way I normally would, so sadly it may not end up being strictly 'DIY', though normally this is a job that I quite like. : -(
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