Radiator fell off wall onto my son

mlz1413

tanmu wrote: »

Can anyone offer any advice.....this afternoon the double radiator in one of our downstairs reception rooms (which we currently use as a playroom) fell off the wall when my son put his plastic chair against it and leant on it to write on a picture on the wall above it.

Let me just re-cap: You let a child write on a picture hanging on the wall by letting him climb on a chair and using the raditor to balance.

IMO I think that much weigh combined with gravity will pull a raditor off a wall, new build or not.

Rad's are not meant to be sat on, pulled at or have weights balanced on them, I can see the damage was unintentional but I think your LL will be unhappy about repairing the damage.

If your LL does repair this one I'd be surprised if he would agree to repair any others. So maybe you should discuss that with him when he visits.

PS : I glad your son wasn't hurt.

mikey72

I've fixed radiators to cavity walls, fixings from rawplugs to the ones above are acceptable, dependent on the wall and the size of radiator. Normally I'll use the type above, as you also can't be certain where the wood is.
But you expect people to climb on them, as part of the assessment of what fittings to use, even if they put their foot on it by accident hanging the curtains.

facingthefuture

on arms and legs - beside radiator in case landlord gets nasty. The radiator should be able to take a 5 year olds wear and tear - all normal 5 year olds climb - its normal/reasonable.

Incisor

Premier wrote: »

Could I change one word there and say:

"There is no way, in my opinion, that a 5yr old should be allowed to pull a radiator off a wall"


It appears he had a lucky escape, but hopefully enough of a fright to have learnt not do it again. Even so, a word in his ear explaining his folly wouldn't go amiss.

Next time you cross a bridge, remember this:

The loading of a 5 year old should not be much greater than that of the radiator itself. My own opinion, if a radiator does not take this loading, then it was never adequately fixed to the wall in the first place - or [more likely] the 'wall' was never adequate to take a radiator

silvercar

Mikey72 wrote:

But you expect people to climb on them, as part of the assessment of what fittings to use, even if they put their foot on it by accident hanging the curtains.

I would use a ladder to hang curtains. I certainly don't expect people to climb on radiators. If they were designed for climbing they would have a british standard tag on them stipulating the weight limit as ladders do.

paintpot

Why people are stating things and making accusations way and beyond what the OP has written about their child's actions I do not know.

I live in a relatively new build if 8-9 years old constitutes that. I have rested on my radiators with my arms on and feet off the ground (not for long though but I am a bit sad), pulled them and waggled them forcefully with virtually no movement at all. And I am considerally bigger than a young child :rolleyes:. And I wouldn't have done it had I not been confident that they wouldn't fall off.

A radiator should be able, if affixed correctly be able to tolerate considerably more weight than its own. Unless of course someone is uggesting that the child deliberately lifted the radiator off its brackets and dropped it all on their own.

How did you get on with the LL today OP

horace_2

.....this afternoon the double radiator in one of our downstairs reception rooms (which we currently use as a playroom) fell off the wall when my son put his plastic chair against it and leant on it to write on a picture on the wall above it. It banged his arm and fell on his legs trapping him.


.... AND pigs can fly.

Sorry I simply don`t believe your story.

horace

PasturesNew

How much does a 5 year old weigh anyway?

http://i96.photobucket.com/albums/l189/zeus_hercules/mauryfatbaby.jpg

mikey72

silvercar wrote: »

I would use a ladder to hang curtains. I certainly don't expect people to climb on radiators. If they were designed for climbing they would have a british standard tag on them stipulating the weight limit as ladders do.

I don't expect them to climb on radiators to change curtains. (Well, I actually expect most people to use a chair)
However, when you lean too far, and put your foot on top of a radiator I've fitted, rather than fall off, you won't finish on the floor. The radiator won't either.

dippy

Why do some people on here appear to accept and even expect sh*t workmanship? That's the kind of mindset that's led to a fall in building standands and the rabit hutches held together with nothing but spit and cardboard.