replace a radiator: DIY?

tired_dad

Got some underperforming rads. Think they are just don't have the BTU required for the rooms.

Am considering replacing.

Would you consider this a DIY?

If there is a simple way of shutting off a rad and no more than a swap with fresh PTFE, then I might consider it.

Would value your thoughts.

ariba10

If you are swapping like for like, what do you hope to gain?

lesalanos

It is a DIY job to replace with a radiator of the same width. Turn off the valves on each end allows you to take it off.

Orkatec

I give similar advice to my son two weeks ago when he wanted to remove a rad for plastering.
Had to go and dig him out within 5 mins.
If you can remove the floor covering or have a couple of big old towels.
First Turn off the valves
Find some thing to drain the radiator in to, this depends on the height from the floor.
Open the bleed screw a little.
Slacken the nut between the radiator and valve, you need to hold the valve while doing this or you may turn the valve and fracture the pipe (son did this)
Water should come out of the loose nut and fill what ever you are using. If you fill it tighten the nut and empty.
Once you are sure no more water is coming out slacken the nut fully and slacken the other end.
There is going to be water lying in the bottom of the rad which could be nasty black sludge.
I always lift one end and try and drain some of this out.
That done lift the rad keeping it level until you can get it to somewhere you can tip the rest of the water out.
If it is a single Rad replace it with a double or a higher one and put some reflective material on the wall behind it.
James

A.Penny.Saved

Replacing old panel radiators with new convector radiators would output considerably more heat. Single panel single convector, Double panel single convector and double panel double convector in that order of heat output.

Be aware that old panel radiators will probably be of different sizes than newer radiators, imperial rather than metric measurements. In which case it won't be a simple replacement, it would mean draining the system and soldering pipes which would require a few more tools. It's certainly still doable but would push the cost up to around what a heating engineer might charge. However you would still have the tools afterwards for another day.

My advice is avoid wickes radiators because the quality is terrible IMO and not worth the few pounds saved. They all have 2nd graded quality stickers on them and the finish quality is very poor in my experience.

After you have removed the radiator, use the end stops from the new radiator and screw them into the old radiator before trying to move it out of the house. That way any water should be kept inside rather than running out so easily.

mikey72

Put the bleed screw back in, (if you took it out to drain them), then carry it out upside down.
If you replace the single rad with a double, the pipes are usually too close to the wall for the new radiator, and require some work to get them to fit.
You can buy an extension for the valve tails, to let you use a metric radiator to replace an imperial one, usually adds an inch or two to the valve fitting.

keystone

Some underperforming rads implies that others are OK. First question is does the system, or just those rads in particular just need a damned good clean?

Replacement rad will 99.99% not fit properly without some pipework adjustment or a bit of heaving and swearing and joint stressing bodgery.

Cheers

Nilrem

Joint stressing bodgery - isn't that the standard plumbing method? (albeit quite often the joints being stressed are your own, as you try to work in tight spaces, upside down*...)


More seriously, we replace most of our old non finned rads a few years back and the difference in performance was pretty amazing, the house seemed to take a lot less time to heat up.
As has been said, older rads may not be a straight swap for new ones due to size (but it's worth looking as you can often get them very close if you hunt, and depending on the pipework you may have some play).

I'm a great believer in if you can do it your self, do it - even if it cost £50-100 for the tools for the first job you do, you'll probably save that by the second time you use them (and most of the plumbing tools also work for your car/other stuff).

one of the key things to remember, is to check how your radiators are filled - if you've got a header tank that automatically tops the water for the radiator loop up (it's usually a small tank in the loft), you'll need to tie the ball valve up, otherwise the system will be refilling whilst you're trying to empty the rad.
Oh, and turn off the heating before you start....
Also it's generally worth using a thermostatic valve on one side of the radiator if it doesn't have one already

We're in the process of replacing the last of the original radiators in our house, as we're decorating the room (it's been hidden behind a book case for years, and as we've got the carpet up as well it's a great time to do it), and it's looking to be fun


I guess what I'm saying is, replacing a radiator is certainly a DIY'able job, but can be a bit tricky if it's your first plumbing job.


*Often with water dripping in your face, as you try and hold a torch in your mouth whilst swearing at the idiots who decided to put the tap connection so it both out of sight, and behind something.

VoucherMan

As a fairly inexperienced DIYer myself I found it quite easy to replace a radiator. But then all my radiators are fitted with flexible piping so it was easy to fit a different size rad. Also I completely drained the system so didn't have to bother with shutting of valves & drying out carpets.

Worth looking at some of the many radiator sizing websites. They all seem to give different results but it gives you a good idea of the size radiator you'd want.

I was pleasantly surprised at how how easy I found it & if you can 'practice' on something like this then you'll be better equipped to deal with an out of hours emergency rather than getting a plumber out at short notice.

tired_dad

Thanks for this valuable advice.

The north facing side of the house has an upstairs bedroom with a single panel rad. Built in 1985. I don't think the BTU output of this rad is enough for the room. So despite being hot to touch, the room remains on the cold side.

The rads in much of the house are single panels. I think a move up to convector rads may be the answer.

I hear the comments on Wickes rads. I was planning to look at screwfix rads. If you think there is a better seller, do let me know.

Would like some advice on these BTU rad calculators where you dial in the size of the room, no of external walls etc etc and it gives you a recommended BTU size. Are these reliable?

Thanks again.

keystone

tired_dad wrote: »

The north facing side of the house has an upstairs bedroom with a single panel rad. Built in 1985. I don't think the BTU output of this rad is enough for the room. So despite being hot to touch, the room remains on the cold side.

Modern rads are much much more efficient than older ones. The same physical size as you have now in a modern rad will chuck out much more heat in BTUs. Have you considered whether the system might need a clean as I suggested earlier?

The rads in much of the house are single panels. I think a move up to convector rads may be the answer.

The word radiator is a misnomer. Radiators don't radiate - they transfer the vast majority of their heat by convection irrespective of how old and decrepit they are.

I hear the comments on Wickes rads. I was planning to look at screwfix rads. If you think there is a better seller, do let me know.

Is not the seller that counts its the manufacturer. You won't go far wrong with Stelrad wherever you buy them from.

Would like some advice on these BTU rad calculators where you dial in the size of the room, no of external walls etc etc and it gives you a recommended BTU size. Are these reliable?

Bit hit and miss but not a bad rule of thumb. Most heating egineers know the answer for an individual room instinctively. Its better to be slightly oversized than undersized. You can always turn it down.

Cheers