radaitors to replace or not ?

Fifer73

Hi to all in the forums

I live in a 2 bedroom flat, which still has an old combi back boiler, ( potterton 401 ) I have read many things on these boards which say leave it alone unless it breaks.
Granted I am not very fond of the fifestone fireplace that a preivious owner had put in for the fire that is here,
but I get the baxi boiler serviced each year and only had the pump replaced last year as it had finally died.

The gas engineer also said that in his opinion it was around 20-25 years old and will give me many many years of good service and do not replace it unless it breaks,
All my radiators are all very old and I cant control the heat, they do have thermastat valves on them but none of them work, i think newer pipe work may be a different size if i was to change all the radiators,

My question is

If i leave the baxi boiler alone, is it a good idea to change over the radiators ?

If i was to replace them is there a perticular type that is more beneficial or are all raditors more or less the same ?

Could a normal plumber replace these ?
I am in the Fife Area

or is this a false economy if i would have to change them ( possibly) again if the baxi did decide to stop working ?

Thank you

jimexbox

Would it not be cheaper to fit new thermostatic valves. Just source quality ones yourself, and employ a good local plumber for the day. He does not need to be on the Gas Safe Register (replaces GORGI) to do this kind of work.

Personally I would pay the minimum to keep your current system working as efficiently as possible.

Fifer73

I have thought about just changing the temp valves, two of the radiators at the other end opp the temp valve one leaks a little, nothing drastic and its in the bathroom.

The other in the living room again the opp end of the tem valve has a spriral shaped bend in the pipe ?? ( I have no idea how that happened as it was like that when i moved in )

Would a plumber have to lift floorboards to change the radiator to put new pipework in ? As i think newer pipes are a different size to what i currently have?

Thanks

Cardew

Fifer73 wrote: »

I have thought about just changing the temp valves, two of the radiators at the other end opp the temp valve one leaks a little, nothing drastic and its in the bathroom.

The other in the living room again the opp end of the tem valve has a spriral shaped bend in the pipe ?? ( I have no idea how that happened as it was like that when i moved in )

Would a plumber have to lift floorboards to change the radiator to put new pipework in ? As i think newer pipes are a different size to what i currently have?

Thanks

If the pipes are not visible, then he will have to lift floorboards.

However I wouldn't dream of changing radiators!

If you have thermostatic valves fitted(but don't work) then the fault is possibly the plunger seized. Just unscrew the top and 'exercise' the thin plunger.

On some of my radiators in rooms that are little used, I get exactly that problem and it is fixed in miutes. Unscrewing the top(large knurled nut) does not involve any plumbing - ie water seals.

Fifer73

Thanks Cardew

The pipes are visible, coming up from under the floorboards and into the raidiator,
as i have said the pipes that do come up to go into the raidiators one leaks ( bathroom )

the one in livingroom has a spiral bend.
I am not sure if these pipes that go into the radiators would get replaced as well if i did change the radiators ?

Or whether to just leave well alone till the boiler does pack in

jimexbox

Changing a radiator is pretty straight forward for a competent DIY'er, and is bread and butter for a good plumber. Unless your changing the radiator size, there is usually no need to alter any pipework. Even a little alteration to the pipework is no big deal, again a decent plumber can make short work of that.

I would definitely sort the leak out first. Then next winter buy a thick jumper and turn your thermostat down.

KimYeovil

Spend a couple of hundred sorting out the valves. Or spend several thousand changing the radiators. Tough choice.

aelitaman

Little tip is that when you turn the heating off for the summer is to open all thermostatic radiator valves to full on. This means that if the plunger does get stuck over the summer months then when you set the radiators back to the setting you have in the winter the plunger will be unstuck by turning the valve down.

If you set them to full off during the summer months and the plunger gets stuck then you need to take the top of the valve and wiggle the plunger with a pair of pliers to untick it.

allan673

i agree with previous posters, worst case scenario is to replace all trv's.
i wouldnt renew all the rads.
just had a new boiler fitted in my house and ive kept all the original rads, and the gas installer fitted trv's on every rad apart from one on the landing.
ive also given them a light rub down as ive decorated, and repainted with radiator paint and they look great.