Replies

1. 
   BossHog | Oct 31, 2003 05:44pm | #1

   Are you just removing ONE radiator, but not the whole system? What's going to heat that room?

   I removed ALL the radiators and the steam heat from our old house. Just cut the pipes up with a torch and hauled everything out. Only caught the house on fire once.

   If you're only removing one, you'll have to figure out how to cap off the pipe(s) coming into the radiator.

   Be careful with the radiator - They're dang heavy. I lost my grip on one of them things and it hit the stove and messed up the side panel. DW was NOT impressed.

   The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest possible amount of feathers with the smallest possible amount of hissing. [Jean Baptiste Colbert]

1. 
   mnxcski | Oct 31, 2003 06:02pm | #2

   The previous owners put a new gas insert in the fireplace, which is more than enough to heat that part of the room.  I suppose I'll have to wait for my woodburning fireplace until I get a cabin. 

   Plus, there is another radiator on the opposite wall of the room.  I'd like to remove just the one radiator beside the fireplace.

   What's the proceedure for capping off the pipe leading to and from the radiator?  How to I shut off water flow to those pipes?  After shutting off the water flow, how do I cut the pipes and after cutting them what do I cap them with?

   Thanks for the help.

1. 
   rjgogo | Oct 31, 2003 06:29pm | #3

   You are going to have to drain the system to remove the radiator, make sure you shut off the water supply behind the pressure regulator. ( sometimes they get clogged so if you are having trouble filling it back up check that)  the pipe should just be black pipe,  There should be a union on either side of the radiator, After you have drained the system undo the unions and take the radiator out.  Now go back and remove the fittings and just cap the pipes with a cap that is the correct size,  I would be best if you capped it at the supply and return lines in the basement if you can get to them. 

   While the system is drained it is a good time to drain your expansion tank if you have the old style without the internal bladder. 

   To fill it up turn on the water supply (after you capped  the radiator lines)  You will need a radiator key to bleed the air out of the other radiators. (you should open these up to make draining easier as well) open the little valve and keep a cup and rag handy,  when water starts to squirt out it is full.  Start at the highest radiator furthest away and work your way down.  I would cycle through them several times to make sure you get all the air out. 

   Edited 10/31/2003 11:56:33 AM ET by rjgogo

1. 
   OneofmanyBobs | Nov 01, 2003 01:46am | #6

   Make sure to check for leaks after installing plugs.  The boiler often has a pressure gauge.  Once the system is refilled and purged, it will be at the pressure of the fill water line.  30 PSI or better.  Check the gauge, leave the system off, and check again the next day.  Should be no visible drop in pressure.  If there is, start looking for leaks.   I worked on a house once where there was a tiny leak in an inaccessible place above a beam.  The fill system can replace lost water so you don't notice.  Over some years the nice warm water drip fed meny termites.  A lot of damage.

1. 
   rjgogo | Nov 01, 2003 03:18am | #7

   If it has an automatic regulator on it you must close the valve again.  If you turn on the heat the pressure will rise so leave it off to reiterate

2. 
   csnow | Oct 31, 2003 08:18pm | #4

   Just make sure none of the other radiators are piped 'inline' downstream of this one.

   CI rads were generally piped in 'parallel', but you never know...

   If this were the case, you would need to pipe a bypass instead of capping.

1. 
   NormKerr | Nov 01, 2003 12:08am | #5

   A great place to take this kind of question is http://www.heatinghelp.com, the hydronic experts.

   The guy who built your heating system probably sized it for use in an un-insulated house, so removing one radiator from your now, presumably, insulated one, ought to be ok, but making sure that doing so does not unballance your system is very important. You want your system to continue working well.

   You don't want to do like the guy above who ripped the whole thing out and replaced it with forced air. Seems a shame to mess up something that cost so much to create, and that works so nicely (when its not been messed up!) and in my opinion, far superior to forced air for comfort and efficiency.

   Norm