Slanting radiator pipes

rajanm

Hi all,

I have an issue in a bedroom where one of the radiators has slanting pipes coming up from the floor. These are the chrome pipes attached to the radiator valves.
I have attached some pictures to this so hopefully you can see what the issue is. It obviously looks unsightly. Is there a bendable chrome pipe or pipe connectors that can make this look a little less ugly?  Or do you think I just need to use new brackets for the radiators so they sit more flush to the wall and allow the pipes to bend back a bit?

Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks
 

 

Read more: https://www.diynot.com/diy/threads/slanting-radiator-pipes.550323/#ixzz6UB5RZw5G

grumbler

It's a copper pipe, chrome plated. So, yes, a skilful plumber can bend it. However, I don't understand why it has to be chrome, not white. If you are happy with white, you can replace it with a plastic pipe that is far more flexible.

greyteam1959

I agree with the OP......looks awful.
Might depend on what the floor is made of as to what you could do.

[Deleted User]

To fox that you would need to cut the pipe under the floor and remake the connection straight, not a difficult task but is it a show house ?

ariba10

I would think there is a Joist or something similar directly under the floorboards that made the installer plumb it in that way.

Mistral001

grumbler said:

It's a copper pipe, chrome plated. So, yes, a skilful plumber can bend it. However, I don't understand why it has to be chrome, not white. If you are happy with white, you can replace it with a plastic pipe that is far more flexible.

It is copper, but surely bending it after it has been chromed will result in damage to the chrome plating. 

PS.  The pipes under the floor are likely to be plastic if it is a recent installation.  If that is the case, by making the notch in the boards bigger and loosening the valve fitting at the radiator, the chrome plated section of pipe can be swung round to the vertical. You will not have to disconnect any pipe.  

nofoollikeold

1. In my opinion its highly likely that ariba10 is correct, particularly if the radiator is in a bay. 
2. If there is a joist running close to the wall the original installer would have had no choice but to either notch the joist (dodgy in many circumstances), push the pipes up between the joist and the wall as has been done, or chase the pipes into the wall, which makes installing or changing the radiator more difficult.
3. It is possible to bend chrome plated copper pipe, BUT:
3a. No more than the slightest curve.
3b. The curve required to bring those pipe up to vertical would be too tight for the chrome to survive.
4. You could get copper pipes bent up and then chrome plated, but it is extremely expensive (£100 + ?) 
5. Personally, I'd live with it, but if SWMBO insisted, I'd chase them into the wall, and replace the valves if necessary.
6. If you move the radiator closer to the wall, you will lose some of the convection effect which provides 85% of the heat output from a "radiator".

Mickey666

Blimey - I've got walls that are wonkier than that pipe.  I'd leave it well alone and just call it 'character'

ComicGeek

More likely that there was an original radiator there that was slimmer - then it got replaced with a deeper radiator and the pipework connection was just bodged.

If it's not leaking, I would just leave it.

Rosa_Damascena

ComicGeek said:

More likely that there was an original radiator there that was slimmer - then it got replaced with a deeper radiator and the pipework connection was just bodged.

If it's not leaking, I would just leave it.

A slant like that would make me suspicious of what lurks beneath though, ie is the connection to the underfloor pipes reliable?

This might be a particular problem if the OP is new to the property and has not had cause to use the radiators as yet.

travis-powers

Rosa_Damascena said:

ComicGeek said:

More likely that there was an original radiator there that was slimmer - then it got replaced with a deeper radiator and the pipework connection was just bodged.

If it's not leaking, I would just leave it.

A slant like that would make me suspicious of what lurks beneath though, ie is the connection to the underfloor pipes reliable?

This might be a particular problem if the OP is new to the property and has not had cause to use the radiators as yet.

Rosa is spot on with this! No plumber would use ptfe on a compression joint no Plummer would use an isolation valve on a radiator! Speaking as a carpenter notching out for pipe is fine!