How to Move a Radiator Without Draining the Whole System
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- Опубликовано: 26 май 2024
- Moving a radiator is a common job but you don't necessarily need to drain the whole system to do it!
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Hi. I’m a heating engineer. I really enjoy your channel. If I could offer some advice for anyone attempting this. We would do this in a slightly different way. We always hang the rads and then pipe to them. Never pipework first then rad. It removes any guesswork and you’ll generally end up with a neater job as you can make sure your pipework is perfectly square and lined up, because you won’t always have the play on the tails that this job had. For instance if your pipe tails exit concrete floors. If you pipe first then try to hang the rad, if you are even a few mill out when fitting the rad then you’ll move the pipework and it will look pony.
Secondly. You never ever put ptfe on external threads like a towel rail rad valve. The professional way is to paste behind the olive. Ptfe is for screwed male threads that are being wound in to a female fitting. If you paste compression joints you won’t have to tighten them as much. Meaning less likely to crush olive, distort pipe, especially on small bore pipe. If you need external ptfe to stop your joint leaking. Your joint has already failed.
Hope this helps some of you keen DIYrs
Exactly right, the olive does the sealing not the the threads, little bit of v2, job done.
Thanks for the extra advice Lutonman 👍🏻
Some house builders now fix OSB behind the plasterboard, where the radiators are to be positioned during first fix. It's there to make for easy hanging of the rads during second fix
Anything near plumbing and I'd advise always to have a container at hand to allow you some "surprise" time thinking! :-)
I presume you've checked all other radiator fittings just in case they are similarly slack? :-)
I see you put tape on the chrome nut/fitting before using the adjustable spanner what a good idea thanks for that tip 👌
The reason you should drain the full system, is that if one of those full TRVs doesnt shut off properly, you will have water dribbling out of the open ends. As Lutoman said you should always do your solding in situ, and pipe to the rad, so water constantly dribbling while you're trying to solder is no good. Unfortunately you will often cause yourself more hassle than its worth, especially on a sealed system like yours, where filling up is very quick and straight forward.
OSB will just be a mounting pattress for the towel rail. Most new builds where its drywall system will install ply or OSB where radiators, heaters or other fixed equipment needs mounting.
Hi Stuart . Did you go round and check the other radiators for tightness , but hopefully it was just a one off . 👍
A couple of points spring to mind.
If you are moving any radiator that has been in for a while Be Careful! Even with inhibitor the water in the radiator you have just drained (because you never get it all out) will want to slop out when you move. It will almost certainly have iron in it and be black. This is hard to clean up .... don't ask me how I know! .... bung the open end up with something, even a cloth rag will do to stop the spillage!
Second point is soldering your pipes. You can get copper pushfit bends that are fairly slim. Well worth your trouble. If you are going to solder when you see the ring of solder from your joint add some more solder to be sure there are no voids. I see you did this off camera ;o) Don't forget to wipe the joint clean with a rag as the flux is corrosive and your pipes will discolour.
My wife comes out of the bathroom this morning and said can I remove the radiator so she can repaint. Lo and behold you have uploaded this video this morning. Thankyou
I think she might have known this video was coming up… 😝
You don’t necessarily need to drain the system to remove one radiator. Once you’ve closed the valves, just undo the nuts that connect them to the radiator, rather than the ones that connect them to the pipework. Put a bowl underneath to catch the water that comes put of the radiator.
@@Calculus58 That’s what I might try thanks.
I’m a pipe fitter and that was a perfect job. Nice one Stuart.
Thanks 👍
That hand tightened joint was a nightmare Stuart….surprised it never sprang a leak before! Great video mate.
Doesn't need to be mega tight, obviously not finger tight, nip up and a quater turn is all it needs.
@cookie, it's typical in new builds, mine were just like this, the first week I moved in we had 3 leaks.
It’s hard to believe they left it finger tight and not a drop of water came out. You’ve done a quality job as always thanks for posting
Thanks 👍
Great video as always Stuart. I love your attention to detail like the painters tape around the chrome nuts.
The OSB is there to give extra support to radiator. Only normally done on good quality builds. It's a shame the plumber didn't have spanner !
Really enjoy your content. You really break it down for a diy enthusiast. Great work.
Lovely and simple thanks Stuart🇮🇪🇮🇪
Thanks Stuart, I need to replace a damaged valve on a rad in my en-suite so this will prove handy, as I didn't really want to drain down the whole system !
Perfect timing as I will soon have to replace a similar towel rail. As always, plenty of useful information so thanks for sharing.
LOL @ 1.40: Many years ago I did EXACTLY this to prepare for a damp proof course injection process by my company.
Problem? A DIY'er had hidden a flat twin & earth cable along the back of the skirting board when installing an extra electrical socket.
Guess who spliced the cable with a bolster chisel and got a punk hairstyle - years before Punk was a thing? 🤥
I've got the same ferrex multi tool, best £15 on tools I've ever spent. Another great episode, thanks
Great video !!!!! Thank You
Yep I do exactly the same thing to speed things up just draining the one radiator.
My kids have new flats and I found plywood when getting an electricity supply for a cabinet from a nearby shaver socket. I guessed it was put there to make hanging things on the wall more secure.
Great job.
Stuart
Ive watched all your videos and you are as professional as they come. Real knowledge and know how. Absolute legend.
Thanks mate
i have learned so much from your channel thankyou.
fantastic video, I had no idea how easy it was to just drain 1 radiator. I want to replace our kitchen one (that looks like this one in the video) with a better tall panel one, and I might just do it myself now :)
Cracking job as ever 🙂👍
When i decorate any room i have always removed the radiator but i have not done what you have done and that is close off all the other radiators.I have learned something from your video that i will do the same next time i decorate a room.👍
If you're only removing a radiator for decoration, you don't need to touch the rest of the property. Stuart has had to alter pipework so he's on the "live" side of the valve.
You simply close off the radiator required and remove. Count the number of turns to close both ends, and reverse when refitting.
@@GretatheEvilGremlin ok thanks for the info
Just had a PERSONAL thought/idea/suggestion: Many of your projects would be so much easier if you had a "helping hand" to assist you.
I reckon the vast MAJORITY of diy'ers get someone to help with awkward/heavy tasks.
IMO it would be an asset to involve a young deserving individual on some of your jobs, and help them to train & learn the skills you have.
I had to use the same technique of locking off the upstairs radiators when changing a downstairs radiator, because on some of the upstairs rads the bleed valve head has sheered off.
That osb is just a patrice to have something solid to fix your rads too
Best check the fittings on the other radiators in the house are not finger tight!
Great job 👍
Some useful hacks in this vid 👍 thank you
Great video Stuart.👍👍
Thanks 👍
That’s a great video as a handyman it’s good to see how everyone else dose the same job but in different ways I never been asked to move one but if I did I would have the confidence to do so I know some people would say it’s a plumbers job or a handyman should not be doing that and yes maybe that’s true but as you had shown you can do it if you just think about it take your time and with a bit of know how you can do the job well yes some people can do it fast and what have you good for them not everyone can
Any how great video
Thanks stuart
I haven’t got all the correct tools or the nerve to approach the task of moving or even just replacing a radiator. Even if I watched this video over and over. I don’t think I’d need the skirting board removed in my case….
The inhibitor trick got me though! I’ve been told by certified (actually a national business) plumber - they are full blown qualified heating engineers these days when it comes to plumbing jobs involving heating systems - that I’d have to have the entire system drained and inhibitor replaced. Over a £1000 !
Now I know ( and noted another commenter’s heads up about USB mounting behind plasterboard), and am aware HOW a contractor can drain ONE radiator, replace it (cheaper than taking it off to strip and repaint), refit with tool not just finger tight, top up inhibitor, and all the other tips without spending a day draining the whole system and cleaning out each radiator ( which rules dictate have to be flushed out before refilling with water and new batch of inhibitor).
Thank you, Sir. 🫡👍🏻
Another great job 👍
Thank you! Cheers!
Top video.
Always add fresh inhibitor when refilling the system! Good trick I've used is to unscrew the bleed valve of the towel rail and pour it in there
Like this 12:55
@@ACAIDC Yeah like that
Hi Stuart, that wall is called a shear wall, it’s designed to help the building withstand heavy winds as it is unable to actually rack in one way or the other due to the osb board. The same as a back panel on a wardrobe only on a larger scale. You will find them on homes that are either very tall or in windy areas which you and I both certainly are 😄.
Right got it. I’m not a timber house expert but I do understand the requirement to brace in different directions. Definitely cladding a wall with OSB will give excellent racking resistance.
Myself, I wouldn't put water in pipe you're trying to solder. If that lower joint was going to get hot enough to desolder, the water sitting in it will get hot enough to turn to steam and potentially prevent the upper joint forming a good bond. I will often wrap a joint I want to protect in a damp rag.
Thats Proper DIY, thanks for sharing
Brilliant... Subscribed...👍
Great job , as usual
I appreciate that
It's standard practice on site now to have osb pattresses behind radiators, sinks and ceiling fans for solid fixing
Don't trust thermostatic valves to stay closed if it's a cold day. The lowest setting is usually a 'frost' setting that will open the valve at 5 degrees or so. You can get a simple cap that screws on to force it closed. I speak from experience - fortunately on a ground floor!
Very good. Lots in here!
Many thanks!
The OSB is just a ground to fix the radiator to. Just to give something solid to screw the brackets into.
Nooooo I was wanting to see the plaster fixed! You were just going to glue it?
Would love to see a video on the plasterboard repair
I’m assuming fully drain the system if working on a ground floor radiator. Excellent as always thank you Stuart 👍👍
I close off rads I don't want affected even when working on the ground floor. I think that's the intention of the video because it's being drained from the lowest point anyway.
@@tomsanders8714 👍
How did you connect the plastic feed pipes to the copper one? Was that a push fit?
Great job as always, but anytime i watch a diy video based in UK/USA i can’t wrap my head around the fact that in those countries walls are built from wooden framing and plasterboards. Unthinkable in my country, it would never pass the technical audit.
Nice.
I once had a spontaneous leak start while using a multiple tool near a radiator too...could it be possible that the nut was tightened properly but the vibration of the multiple tool loosened the nut?
👍
Dear fellow very practical retired Engineer - wouldn't it have been easier to reduce the width of the walk-in wardrobe!? 🤔🤔😉😉
When only draining half the system how do you know when upstairs is fully drained without draining downstairs too?
I have seen on other channels that usually the thread on towel radiators are notoriously poor and tightening too much can cause leaks. But finger tight is a joke
TFW you moved in your house a few years ago and you're already renovating. My life. Also did they use OSB to hang stuff off? Bit weird but I could see it. My houses has a rail system that things are hung off that has driven me around the bend at several points (multitool and a metal cutting blade works wonders), but my house is a "factory" house, seems like maybe they did that for a similar purpose? Also 6 inches of copper pipe into plastic pipe is total memes, I'd rather have one complete plastic pipe all the way honestly, I know people prefer the look of copper but - come on? When I build the house I want to build in a few years I want the whole heating system as pipe-in-pipe.
How do you know when the radiator you are working on is empty?
I think I would have taken the opportunity to change the chrome values for elbow type valve fittings so the cooper feed pipes would be barely visible, instead of those having those extra couple of inches of copper and its elbow joint on show in the room below the rad... Perhaps what they say about the 'extra couple of inches' isn't always true.
The eye brow
I didnt know he could do that 😃
@@waynesinden 12:23 😊
What is it with new builds and corner cutting? You were lucky that nut didn’t come loose in the middle of the night
Too much price work and rushing about. Quality control is non existent. Nose in a beehive and hope you don't get stung.
9:59 does anyone else play power tool bingo at this point wondering what Stuart will pull out the bag to remove the timber.
Watched the full video and have never lived in a house or climate with radiators.
I always prefer the soldered joints, I haven’t been able to trust those plastic ones.
I tried this and it didn't work, I have an electric towel rail btw
Couple of inches 😂😂😂😂😂 love it
So that's what we're calling "a couple of inches" these days.
Never bury pushfit in a wall always best to use soldered joints
Why?
Yes Why? Stuart did a pull of strength test a while ago on plastic fittings. They don’t come apart.
@@raj080288 soldered joints are less likely to leak in the long run
yeah perhaps but the internal pipework is all plastic so it is what it is.
@@tomsanders8714 it’s just developers cheaping out on new builds copper always lasts longer than plastic
7:00 I saw a SkillBuilder video where they recommended removing the top of the thermostatic valve once you’d closed it off as there’s a chance it will reopen depending on the temperature in the room
Edit: here’s the skillbuilder video ruclips.net/video/pD8y_MZTJD8/видео.htmlsi=0Em3cywEZBV_RV9f. Good ol’ Roger recommends removing the TRV and then fitting the little service cap that would have been thrown in the bin when the valve was fitted
The thermostat is what's keeping the valve shut. If you take it off it will open.
You need a plastic cap for that. Remove the head and fit the cap which keeps the valve shut.
Removing the head renders the valve fully open
Cheers both for the clarification - guess you can’t trust the valve to stay closed
Service cap every time. Don't trust a TRV to stay shut.
Just drain the system, rather than faffing on 🙄
How can draining one radiator be more of a faff than draining the entire CH system?
Step number one: Call a plumber. There's no point risking the potential water damage just to save a couple hundred bucks. Plumbing and electric work are among the few things one shouldn't DIY - atleast in my opinion.
I disagree, anyone competent can do these basic works. Obviously don’t go rewiring your fuse board but replacing sockets, moving a radiator - all possible for a DIYer.
Plenty of incompetent tradesmen about, witness finger tight connections in this video. We’ve had plumbers drill through gas pipes, electricians fuse thermostats, always in too much of a rush to get in, get out, get paid. We have had a couple of quality conscious guys in but they are hard to find.
We all possess different aptitudes; if you find yours do not include this kind of task then by all means, hire in. However, a great many of us are perfectly capable and will take the time and care to do the job to a higher standard than most trades ever bother. Indeed, in the UK at least, there is widespread incompetence and dishonesty among so-called professionals. It's a nightmare trying to identify the trustworthy ones, even for work that requires a professional by regulation, because there's no effective enforcement.
All depends on ones competence and capability.
Stuart is capable of such work, so the project of creating the wardrobe and moving the towel rail comes into being.
For anyone who doesn't have the skill set, the job itself probably wouldn't even exist in the first place.
To pay contractors for such a creation would probably cost 2k, so unless you're loaded, you'd not even consider this as an idea.