Taking Out A Radiator

[fruitsalad]

is there a lot involved, and is it better to get a professional to do it?

[Hymie]

Car or house?

[bhg481]

Permanently or temporarily (eg, to decorate).

[teacake44]

If no plumbing experience at all, get someone in, 20 min job.

[fruitsalad]

In a House, and I want it taking out permanently.

[New Judge]

Depends ow confident and competent you are.

Easiest way is to drain your system but you can take them out without doing so. You isolate the rad by turning the valves at each end off and undo the coupling that goes directly into the bottom of the radiator. The downside is that you need to prepare to collect a radiator full of black water when you undo the first side. You also have to have big of "give" in the pipes as they need to be sprung apart slightly to break the joint. If you drain the system you can isolate the rad in the same way but disconnect it by breaking the coupling on the outside of each valve. You'll get no spillage but the downside is you have to refill the system.

I actually installed our CH so I'm fairly confident when it comes to plumbing (especially that which I installed). But quite honestly if you're not that confident best to pay a plumber.

[bhg481]

If it's permanent and you have no plumbing experience I'd get someone in as it could involve draining part of the system and blanking off pipes.

[New Judge]

Didn't notice the "permanently". Best get a plumber in as the pipes serving the rad will have to be blanked off. Also you need to make sure that the installation was not done with the rads in "series". Some systems were done like that some years ago (can't for the life of me think why, but a friend discovered that in his house). This means taking one rad out effectively breaks the CH flow and your boiler will not be able to pump water round the remaining rads. It's very rare, but needs checking.

[bhg481]

NJ - if you put rust inhibitor in the system you'll have no more black water or any need to bleed the radiators. You will, of course, have to flush the system out first to get rid of the sludge. I've used Fernox 1B in my system from new (1982) and when I extended the system in 1996 the water still looked drinkable. It does need refreshing every 7 years or so but that's just a case of chucking a 5-litre bottle in the header tank and it looks after itself.

[royfromaus]

Are the pipes rising up from beneath the floorboards?

If so do it yourself, you can't do any harm.

[New Judge]

I have Fernox in my (pressurised Combi) system, bhg. Been in the system religiously since installation. My CH water is black as ink.. To replenish the Fernox means depressurising the system (by partially draining it) and introducing the Fernox via the bathroom towel rail (the only point in the system with a vertical inlet). Combi systems have no header tank.

[bhg481]

NJ - OK, I've only dealt with header-tank systems so no knowledge of the ins and outs of combi-boilers.

[Nottm_George]

If I were you I would have a look on YouTube