remove utility room radiator

Discussion in 'Plumbers' Talk' started by nickandfamily, May 16, 2022.

  1. nickandfamily

    nickandfamily Member

    Good morning everyone,

    I never use the small radiator in the utility room and would like to remove it, kind of semi-permanently to create some space for storage.

    Is it a job I can do myself? I am confident with tools. I guess I am worried that I will mess up the rest of the heating circuit if I remove it. I have a Bosch combi boiler and the radiator has a TRV valve.

    Is it just a case of removing it or is there anything else I need to do to ensure the system continues to work?

    Sorry if this is a basic question!

    Many thanks

    Nick
     
  2. chesterw

    chesterw Well-Known Member

    Why bother you're not going to gain much space, just adjust the lockshield so it has minimum flow.
     
  3. robertpstubbs

    robertpstubbs Screwfix Select

    In theory you drain the whole system and refill it after removing the radiator.

    If you can work quick, don’t mind getting very wet, and don’t mind a bit of mess, you just cut the pipes and fit stop ends, or disconnect the radiator and plug the pipes.
     
    Last edited: May 16, 2022
  4. nickandfamily

    nickandfamily Member

    thanks a lot for the replies. I won't bore you with the details but it sits in a alcove and I will gain space for a project I want to do. I am happy to leave the pipes in place as I may put the radiator back. Is it simply a case of cutting off the radiator and plugging the pipes? Will that not have any impact on the rest of the system? It's only a little radiator, there are a dozen in the house... thanks again
     
  5. robertpstubbs

    robertpstubbs Screwfix Select

    If you think about it, every radiator in the house can be turned off with a TRV or similar. If you plug off the pipes for a removed radiator you are effectively just doing the same as turning off the TRV.
     
    Cliff Rees likes this.
  6. Jiml86

    Jiml86 Screwfix Select



    If you just want to take it off the wall



    If you actually want to remove and cap it.

    I find this guy brilliant, I've done loads of plumbing in my own house and minor heating stuff thanks to his videos.
     
  7. nickandfamily

    nickandfamily Member

    thanks everyone, super helpful and much appreciated
     
  8. nickandfamily

    nickandfamily Member

    Can I ask a quick random question?! So, when I drain the radiator... does that water get replaced in the system via the boiler? I always thought it was a closed circuit
     
  9. nickandfamily

    nickandfamily Member

    Also, second stupid question, sorry! If you remove a radiator, and you cap both valves, haven't you cut the circuit for the water? Or does magic happen behind the pipes and the circuit is not visible?
     
  10. Jiml86

    Jiml86 Screwfix Select

    You'll lose very little just top up via the filling loop yo the correct pressure. And no removing the rad will have no adverse effect on the system
     
  11. Hausfix

    Hausfix Screwfix Select

    No, the water in a heating system does not flow in one end of a radiator, through it and out to the next radiator and so on. Essentially the heating system water flows through a large loop of pipework running through the house from the boiler and finally back to boiler to be heated again and pumped back round this loop. The radiators are connected via branches off this loop, so some of the heated water will go up this branch if the radiator valves are open. If the radiator valves are closed or capped off, the hot water can’t go up this branch and will just continue on its journey back to the boiler via the main loop..
    In simple terms, if you have a garden hose connected to a tap, water will flow from the end of the hose. If that hose has a small hole in it half way down, some of the water will spray out of that hole unless you put your finger over it.. that hole is similar to the connection to the radiator, blocking that hole has no noticeable effect on the water coming out of the end of the hose. Capping off your unwanted radiator is like putting your finger over the hole in a leaky hose.. hope that makes sense!
     
  12. Hausfix

    Hausfix Screwfix Select

    Also note, if you drain down your heating system, it depends on what type of system you have when it comes to refilling. A gravity fed system has a little tank in the loft that will replace the water lost. A pressurised system requires you to activate the filling loop and bring the pressure back up to the correct level as indicated by a needle on a dial.
    Remember, if you drain all the water out of the system, you will need to add a chemical called a ‘rust inhibitor’ to the new water you add.
     
  13. exbg

    exbg Screwfix Select


    Nick,I gather you watched the video (I flashed through it)

    A couple of points, assuming you are happy to leave the valves in situ (recommended):

    Once you have established the valves are not passing by observing the flue when the bleed nipple is opened, and are happy, then CLISE THE NIPPLE.

    Do you have a TRV? If so, do you have the supplied cap to convert from a TRV to manual? If so, switch it before you start .
    Asuling the valves are 15mm (as in the video) as opposed to 3/4 with a bigger flanged nut then:

    Obtain 2 compression 15mm caps. You won’t need the olives or nut.

    Use TWO trays, if one requires emptying into the bucket, quickly switch the trays and carry on - this saves continually tightening the connections.

    Niw, with the bleed nipple and both valves closed, no entry of air is possible. Disconnect ONE valve. Water will squirt out, but should do so for less than a minute. It will then slow to a manageable trickle. Quickly use the 15mm compression cap on the RADIATOR valve connector and nip up. Repeat on the other side. This saves an age waiting for the rad to drain. If you don’t cap off the rad, you will run a grave risk of dripping gungy black water through the house!

    Obviously, the rad is heavier when containing the water, but I can safely carry most utility room sized rads. Be prepared to ask fir assistance if it is a big one.

    Carry the rad to a drain etc, remove one cap completely and water will exit slowly. Remove the other and water will gush quickly, so loosen slowly and use the air ingress to control the surge.

    Finally, if you did not have a manual cap for the TRV, you will NEED to cap the valve outlet. Most, if not all, TRV’s do not positively clise - very cold temps will cause the valve to lift slightly, squirting water everywhere.
     
  14. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    Some systems are designed that way.
     
    Jiml86 likes this.
  15. robertpstubbs

    robertpstubbs Screwfix Select

    Not normally now, but if so, you just connect a new pipe between the inlet and outlet pipes to restore the circuit.
     
  16. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    The OP has not said if his system is 1, 5, 10, 20 years old! Although if there are TRV it probably is a system where the rads T off a main feed.
     
  17. exbg

    exbg Screwfix Select

    Even in a one pipe system, which would not have been fitted even 20 or 30 years ago, the re is still a circuit from which the rads are branched off. The exception is where a particular rad was fitted as a control, normally with a TRV. When the room with that rad reaches temperature set on TRV it closes, therefore cutting off the whole system.

    In over 40 years of work I have come across the grand total of - ONE! I accept that different areas may experience different set ups though.

    The worst culprits were solid fuel heating installers, and I believe many were subsidised by the NCB, to increase SF sales
     
  18. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    I worked in on location with several building and over halk had one pipe systems that went in rad 1, out rad 1, in rad 2, out rad 2 ... and so on.
     
  19. exbg

    exbg Screwfix Select

    If that is the case, then the installers were morons. The only possible way that would have any credence is if there were no valves on the radiators, otherwise one rad turned off kills the system - and there I can think of no circumstance where that would be appropriate.

    What type of buildings were these?
     
  20. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    Office & elecrrical development labs ...

    I'm not suggesting it is an appropriate way to install, but they do exist. That one was around 30 years back. The installers did another building, and it was maybe 25m long. They ran a 35mm fed and return perfectly straight down one side, across and back up the other with Ts for each radiator, bedded them in sand and screed over the top. Went in one morning and the room was around 50mm deep in warm water. Over a couple of weeks the pipes had expanded and contracted numerous times and as there were no expansion joints or bends it weakened the solder until a couple totally failed.
     
    Last edited: May 17, 2022

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