If you wish to replace an old panel radiator with an exciting designer radiator or a column radiator from the BestBathrooms.com collection, it is easier if you choose one that matches the old one. In this case, you will need only to drain down the radiator itself, rather than the whole system. However, it is more likely that the radiator will not match exactly and you will need to drain the whole system before you start. (Read my Blog on ‘Draining down a Central Heating System’ before you start.) Important: for sealed domestic central heating systems, you need to seek the services of a professional heating engineer.
Measuring and fixing the radiator brackets
After switching off the boiler,
disconnecting the electricity supply and draining the system, remove the old radiator. Then place the new radiator face down on the floor and mark a centre line between the fixings on the back. Once you have decided the position of the new radiator, mark its centre line on the wall. Place the wall brackets carefully on the back of the radiator (making sure that they are the right way up) and measure from the centre line to the brackets. Now, carefully measure the same distance from the centre line on the wall to give you a vertical mark for each bracket. Allowing 4”-6” from the floor to the bottom of the radiator, work out how far up the wall you need to fix the brackets. In turn, place each bracket on the wall and mark the fixing points. Having checked for pipes, cables etc, drill and plug the wall before screwing the brackets into position. Because of the combined weight of the radiator and water, you need to be sure that the fixings are really solid.
Adjusting the heating pipes
Once you have lifted the new radiator onto its brackets, you can decide what alterations are needed to the pipe work. Lift the flooring and cut the flow and return branch pipes below floor level. Then fit a pair of BestBathrooms.com valves to the radiator, before loose-fitting a short piece of pipe to the bottom of each valve so that you can work out what alterations are needed to the pipe work. Then, using either compression or soldered fittings, you can connect up the flow and return pipes to the respective valves. Take great care with soldered fittings, as the flame from a blow torch is a major fire risk. Once the pipes are connected, refill the system and check for leaks. You will need to bleed the radiators (perhaps more than once) and may need to balance the central heating system before it works properly. (See my Blogs on ‘Bleeding Radiators’ and ‘Balancing the Central Heating System’)
