Putting a new radiator on? All aspects of plumbing questions and answers, help, tips and information

[Aidan]

I have taken an old radiator off and i have the old copper (microbore?) pipe with valves still on, i want to connect my new radiater but with chrome straights coming out of the wall with new valves for the radiator, how would i go about doing this and whats the easiest way?

Regards

[DUDE DIY]

have taken an old radiator off and i have the old copper (microbore?) pipe with valves still on, i want to connect my new radiater but with chrome straights coming out of the wall with new valves for the radiator, how would i go about doing this and whats the easiest way?

Hi there, im assuming a few things here. Im guessing the pipework from your old rad comes through the floor?....im also guessing from your question you want the new pipes to come through the wall?. If this is the case then you have a fair bit of work on your hands. Ive given basic pointers below.....

- you will need to locate the original pipework below the floor which will mean moving a few floor boards. Some of the boards should already be loose in this area.

- you will also need to check what type of wall you have, solid brick or stud wall. If its an oustside or supporting wall it will be solid brick and you will have to think of another way of postioning the pipes

- if its a stud wall it may mean removing some of the plaster board behind where the rad pipes will be so its easyer for you to work on them. Obviosuly you will need to remove the skirting as well. If you were lucking you may be able to reach behind the stud wall with your new pipe work but i doubt it and you will hit the solebase of your stud wall.

- you will need to cap off your exsiting pipes which will mean draining down your full central heating system first so you can work on the pipes( which is a job in itself if your new to DIY)

- you will then need to extend these pipes so they fit behind the stud wall ensuring you have them aligned with where your values will be. If the pipes your working on are copper and are earthed you will need to make sure that your not breaking your home earth circuit by extending your pipes with plastic fittings

- once you new pipes are in position it would be a good idea (unless your a competant plumber )to test for leaks before putting eveything back which will mean hanging your radiator and re filling the sytem

- In order to finish the job you will then have to take the rad off again, replaster/ skim wall / replace skirting and finish

quite a lot to do. If this is your first project and your not that confident I would look to simpler ways.


hope this helps????... let me know how you get on.
dude diy.

[Heeber]

Hi folks,
I am looking to do exactly the same thing as part of putting in a new bathroom.
My radiator is against an outside wall, but has dot&dab thermal board on it - I'm going to be be tiling the wall, so hope to be able to chase the pipes up.

I've the added pain of chipboard flooring, which will make it trickier getting to the pipes.

Anyway, question I had was whether to avoid having to drain the system, I could use one of the home pipe-freezing kits and put in a push-fit T-join to route the pipe up the wall and trim the old branches below floor level and cap-off with push-fit ends (alternatively, if the space is there, use a push-fit elbow on the old branch).

Thoughts?

Thanks,
Heeb

[Aidan]

[quote="DUDE DIY"]have taken an old radiator off and i have the old copper (microbore?) pipe with valves still on, i want to connect my new radiater but with chrome straights coming out of the wall with new valves for the radiator, how would i go about doing this and whats the easiest way?

Hi there, im assuming a few things here. Im guessing the pipework from your old rad comes through the floor?....im also guessing from your question you want the new pipes to come through the wall?. If this is the case then you have a fair bit of work on your hands. Ive given basic pointers below.....

- you will need to locate the original pipework below the floor which will mean moving a few floor boards. Some of the boards should already be loose in this area.

- you will also need to check what type of wall you have, solid brick or stud wall. If its an oustside or supporting wall it will be solid brick and you will have to think of another way of postioning the pipes

- if its a stud wall it may mean removing some of the plaster board behind where the rad pipes will be so its easyer for you to work on them. Obviosuly you will need to remove the skirting as well. If you were lucking you may be able to reach behind the stud wall with your new pipe work but i doubt it and you will hit the solebase of your stud wall.

- you will need to cap off your exsiting pipes which will mean draining down your full central heating system first so you can work on the pipes( which is a job in itself if your new to DIY)

- you will then need to extend these pipes so they fit behind the stud wall ensuring you have them aligned with where your values will be. If the pipes your working on are copper and are earthed you will need to make sure that your not breaking your home earth circuit by extending your pipes with plastic fittings

- once you new pipes are in position it would be a good idea (unless your a competant plumber )to test for leaks before putting eveything back which will mean hanging your radiator and re filling the sytem

- In order to finish the job you will then have to take the rad off again, replaster/ skim wall / replace skirting and finish

quite a lot to do. If this is your first project and your not that confident I would look to simpler ways.


hope this helps????... let me know how you get on.
dude diy.[/quote]

Thanks for the reply, no i'm a builder myself so can overcome [i]most[/i] problems but never done plumbing before, i've plumbed in my toilet, basin, bath and shower with all pipework hidden behind plaster but wasn't sure how to do the radiator as my knowledge of boilers (i knew i had to drain the system) isn't so good! The pipes are actually coming out from the wall but it doesn't matter now as i have asked a plumber freind to do it for me, it would of been nice to do the full project start to finish myself but i thought for the sake of £20 i can watch him do it and know myself next time!