Removing a Radiator

[Nigel Heather]

I want to remove a radiator entirely and finish the wall as if it was never there.

The radiator is mounted on a studded plasterboard wall. The feed and return are 10mm copper pipe and exit the wall close together and perpendicular to the wall's surface.

I'm comforatable with the draining, removal, plasterwork, inhibtors, refilling and venting - my question is about capping the unwanted feed and return pipes.

I want to do this as close as possible so the that it can be hidden inside the wall cavity. I'm okay about removing some plasterboard to give myself working room but would obviously like to minimise this as much as possible.

So I know about solder fittings and compression fittings.

Solder - I'm a little concerned about fire damage from the blow torch, and whether using the torch on the end of the cap will create an effective joint.

Compression - Concerned about the size of the fitting (won't be able to hide it in the cavity) and actually getting enough access to tighten the joint.

QUESTION ========= Are there any clever options that I am not aware of (bear in mind that it is

10mm pipe)?

Cheers,

Nigel

[Greg C]

You should find the concealed pipework within the cavity wall will flex an inch or two either way. Pull the pipe out as far as it will come. Cut leaving enough pipe remaining to apply a compression end cap, then push the lot back into the cavity. Apply filler.

Watch that the pipe doesn't slip back into the cavity before you've got the stop cap on. Use a small pair of pointed mole grips held against the wall to clamp it in place. If the plasterboard hole is smaller than the compression fitting tap it through using a piece of wooden dowel as a drift.

Greg C

[Set Square]

Maybe more obvious than clever? Find the *other* ends of the pipes where they connect into the 22mm - or whatever - flow and return pipes. Cut off the branches and cap the tee's.

Then you'll have no 'dead legs' to collect air, and you can do what you like with the radiator end of the pipes.

[Rick]

Have you conidered push fit ?

Rick

[Nigel Heather]

Do they do them for 10mm?

Are you suggesting the push fit alterative to compression joints or some sort of plug that pushes into the internal diameter of the pipe?

Cheers,

Nigel

[Cicero]

============== Join the 2 pipe ends with a 10mm straight end-feed connector and push back into the cavity.

Cic.

[Lurch]

On Sun, 06 Feb 2005 14:51:32 GMT, "Cicero" strung together this:

Er, don't do this.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

If you've got plasterboard walls, chances are you've got suspended floors, so I'd find the manifold feeding the rad and remove the pipes from there. Not a good idea to have 'live' pipes floating around if there's no need.

[Nigel Heather]

Nope, its a downstairs room. Most modern houses that I have seen (mine included) have plasterboard walls and concrete floors on the ground floor.

All piping is in the wall somewhere, so I expect would have to tear a lot of plasterboard away to find the main feed and return circuits.

Cheers,

Nigel

[Set Square]

I very much doubt whether the main flow and return pipes are inside walls. Much more likely to be in the ceiling space under the upstairs floorboards.

[Greg C]

If there is a manifold you will find it upstairs below the floorboards, either centrally located or near the boiler. Larger bore feed and return pipes will probably be located along under the landing. Personally I can't see any harm in simply blanking off the pipes as you originally suggested. Potential problems are theoretical but unlikely.

Greg C

[Dave Plowman (News)]

I very much doubt it. The manifold will probably be underneath the upstairs floor.

[Peter Ramm]

Very informative and helpful - why not??

[Lurch]

On Mon, 07 Feb 2005 17:44:04 +0000, Peter Ramm strung together this:

Just as informative as the reasons as to why to do it in the first place.

You're just bridging the flow and return mid-circuit, thus creating a path of little or no resistance so hot water will be leaving the boiler, shooting over to the return via Ciceros neat trick, and then returning to the boiler which will then shut off as the return is as hot as the flow.

This is the extremities of what might happen, but I wouldn't recommend just linking bits of your flow and return together as any symptoms between not a lot and the above could start showing up.

[Set Square]

Probably because a lot of water will circulate through this loop - taking it away from where it is needed, and heating up the inside of the wall needlessly.

[Cicero]

=================== The return from the 10mm loop will feed into the total return from the system at the manifold. The volume of water in a 10mm loop is really quite small in comparison with the total volume in the system so it's not likely to have a serious effect on the overall return temperature.

A loose comparison could be made with a heated towel rail which has a much greater volume than a 10 mm loop. It's pretty obvious that many people use these as a sole heating source during normal Summer shutdown without any harm.

I've used this method from time to time when redecorating rooms without any ill effect and I prefer a flow to blanked off pipes which can create problems of their own.

The original post (and follow-ups) suggests that the OP isn't very familiar with his system so an acceptable compromise seems to be called for.

Cic.

[Roger]

The message from "Cicero" contains these words:

The volume of water in the loop is of no consequence. What matters is the volume of water passing though the loop and at best this will be as bad as an unbalanced radiator with both valves fully open and no way to close them down short of putting a crimp in the pipe.