DIYAdd a radiator.pdf

ADD A RADIATOR

Basic plumbing skills are needed to cut and join pipes. You

also need to know about your heating system and how to

drain it down

Check for pipes and electric cables before drilling. Always

make certain you have identified the pipe properly before

cutting it. Know where to turn off the gas, water and

electricity before you start work. If you use plastic pipes or

fittings to join metal pipes, make sure you link the metal

with an earth wire.

Add a radiator to your central-heating system to provide

extra heat.

A radiator can be teed into any part of the central-heating

flow-and-return pipes, but it is important that adding a

radiator doesn't rob existing radiators of their share of the

boiler output. Once you have established where to join the

new pipes to the circuit, you can set about hanging the

radiator on the wall. The best direction to work in is from the

radiator to the heating circuit. Only when you reach the

existing pipework do you need to drain down and cut the

pipes.

- Where to connect

Working out flow rates in

pipes can be complicated but

as a rule of thumb, a 15mm

(1/2in) flow and return

should serve no more than

three radiators. If the

radiators are more than

1000mm (40in) across or t

pipe runs to the radiators are

more than 4 metres (13ft

then the number of radiator

served must be reduced to

two. This means that any

15mm (1/2in) heating pi

serving more than this must

not be used to connect an

additional radiator. Instea

you need to go back to the

22mm (3/4in) section of p

or extend the 22mm (3/4in

run so it takes in one of the

excess radiators. If you follow

this advice your radiators

heat up efficiently (1).

)

ipe

)

will

3 - What size radiator do you need?

Radiator outputs are given in British Thermal Units and

Kilowatts. Select a radiator to suit the heat you require. A

4m x 3m (13ft x 10ft) living room with two outside

uninsulated cavity walls needs around 3kw to give 21 o C

when it is minus 1 o C outside. The bedroom above it needs

just 2.2kw because it doesn't need to be as hot and there is

some gain from the heated room below. It is customary to

add 10% to the figures above for exposed sites or very cold

weather. If you select a radiator with a larger output, it can

be controlled with a thermostatic radiator valve.

A very rough rule of thumb is: the volume of the room in

cubic feet multiplied by 5 = temperature requirement in

BTUs.

Radiators work best in the coldest part of the room. Ideally

this will be on an outside wall, usually under a window

where the cold air drops to the floor. If you have long

curtains or don't want to put a radiator beneath a window, it

is perfectly acceptable to place one where it will suit your

furnishing arrangements. Modern convector radiators with

fins at the back will still work well in any position. If you

haven't got enough room for the right-sized radiator, choose

two smaller ones and spread the heat more evenly.

Fit the valves before you hang the radiator so you can see

where the pipes will come up through the floor. If the valve

is directly above a floor joist you might be able to move the

position of the radiator slightly to one side in order to miss

the joist. If you can't do this you will have to bend the pipe.

Remove the protective plugs from the radiator. Wrap at least

five turns of PTFE tape around the threaded tails of the

valves and screw them into the radiator. Some valves

require a large allen key to screw them in, others have flat

sections for a spanner. Screw the valve tails tightly into the

radiator.

Make sure the PTFE tape

stays on the thread rather

than just running along it as

you tighten. If it does run,

undo the valve and roughen

the thread slightly with a

hacksaw blade then re-tape

the thread more tightly (2).

When the tails are tight

attach the valve bodies. One

valve will have a lockshield

head and the other will have

a knob for turning the valve

on and off.

4 - Positioning a radiator

5 - Fitting the valves

6 - Hanging a radiator

The radiator is supplied with

brackets, but you must

choose the right plugs and

screws to suit your walls.

50mm No12 wood screws

with ordinary wall-plugs will

be fine for brick or block

walls. For plasterboard-

covered timber-stud walls,

you need to select special

heavy-duty plasterboard

fixings and limit the size of

the radiator so it doesn't

exceed the permitted weight

for the fixings. If possible screw into timber supports (3).

Place the radiator on the floor in the position you want to

hang it. Check the top is level and if necessary pack up one

side to level it. Draw a pencil line on the wall along the top

of the radiator. Look at the back of the radiator and draw

two vertical marks directly above the centre line of the

bracket straps. You now have two crosses on the wall to

position the tops of the wall brackets.

Take care when lifting large radiators. You will need help to

lift them onto the brackets. Wear strong shoes to protect

your toes and, better still, keep your feet clear when lifting

heavy objects.

Place the radiator to one side and line up the brackets with

the marks, so you can drill a hole through the slot of each

bracket. Screw the brackets on the wall and hang the

radiator. Check it is level. If it is, you can remove the

radiator and drill through the round holes in the brackets to

keep them in position. If the radiator wasn't quite level, tap

one of the brackets to compensate.

There is no need to tilt the radiator towards the air release

point. The air can always be removed from a level radiator

7 - Marking holes for drilling

There are two ways to run

pipes - from beneath the fl

or along the surface of a wall.

If the pipes are coming f

beneath a wooden floor,

need to mark and drill holes

(4). The best way to do this

is with a right angle of some

kind. Hold a try square in l

with the centre of the valve in

two positions and mark the

points on the floor. Where th

lines cross on the floor

indicates the centre line of the valve. Remove the radiator

from the wall brackets so you can drill the floor. Use an

18mm wood bit (or larger) to allow clearance around the

pipe. If the hole is too small the pipes will creak.

oor

rom

you

ine

to drill. Once the holes are drilled, you can insert two

lengths of copper pipe to protrude beneath the floor.

8 here are several ways to join pipe

restricted it is often easier to use push-fit joints (5). Th

are reliable, provided the pipe ends have been cut evenly so

they can't damage the rubber seals when the pipes are

pushed in. Use a pipe cutter rather than a hacksaw to m

sure you get a clean smooth cut. Avoid getting dirt on the

pipe ends and in the fittings.

s. Where access is

ese

ake

9 f you prefer to use solder

resistant mat to protect the surrounding area from the

flame. If possible make up two lengths of pipe with elbo

and solder them outside. You should then be able to push

them though the holes and into the radiator.

you can solder the joints in situ using fittings with integral

solder.

joints, make sure you have a heat

here it is impossible to pre-fabricate pipe runs with joints,

heck that there aren't any pipes or cables where you want

- Connecting pipework

- Soldering

Smear a small amount of self-cleaning flux to the pipe ends

and push them into the fittings. Apply gentle heat until you

see a ring of solder appear around each mouth of the joint.

If the solder forms all the way round the joint is sound.

Don't disturb the joint until it cools.

soldering and again afterwards.

return arteries, finishing them ready to tee in.

gone, cut the pipes with cutters or a junior hacksaw. Be

ready to catch a small amount of residual water from the

pipes.

a tee in. If there is enough movement in the pipe you might

not need to make two cuts in each pipe - just slide it along.

se a small plant spray to damp down any wood before

un the pipes back from the radiator to the main flow-and-

rain the system and, when you are sure all the water has

ou need to cut out a section of pipe just large enough to fit

slightest trace of water in the joints, it is often easier to

compression fittings. If the pipes are old imperial 3/4in

(20mm) pipes, buy some substitute rings for the 22mm

rings fitted in the compression fittings.

ecause solder won't run properly if there is even the

use

0 - Bending pipes

Pipes can be bent by

inserting a bending sp

the correct size and gently

bending the pipe over a

rounded object. Slightly o

bend past the angle and the

bend back to release the

spring (6).

ring of

ver-

pipe which can be threaded under floorboards.

you want to make the job a lot easier, use plastic heating

1 Turn off the water supply to the feed and ex

which is the smaller of the two cold tanks in the loft. If the

isn't a valve to turn it off, tie up the float valve arm to stop

the tank refilling as you drain it.

1 - Draining down the system

pansion tank

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