DIY Doctor UK DIY Forums

I am about to start installing a new bathroom suite & as part of the project want to change the existing radiator with a towel radiator. This will involve altering the pipework as I want to move the new radiator to a different location.

To keep the job as easy as possible & to avoid draining the system (its a combi system with a small tank in the loft), is the easiest way to do this as follows:- firstly attach the new radiator to the wall (this will already have new radiator valves and pipework attached so it can be joined to the exisitng pipework). Then close both the radiator valves on the existing radiator, freeze the pipes with a freezing kit, cut the pipes and join them up with the new pipework (via a speedfit straight coupler). When the water has thawed, then bleed the new radiator.

Your comments would be appreciated on this & if the freezing kits are any good.

drain the system down,

If you have a combi boiler you wont have a tank in the loft (that is anything to do with it anyway)

Combi systems are easily drained, it would be foolish to freeze the pipes, the freezing kits are expensive and it will not give you nearly enough time to complete the work if you are rerouting.

Nitro - I have a combi - and is fed from a tank in the loft ............

all right then scrap that bit..... the rest is correct.

just to add to my previous post, thats pretty uncommon though isnt it Htg?

It's not that uncommon, BG used to always tank feed their combi's if they were connecting to existing pipework and radiators.

If there's any leaks on the system, the tank would replenish the water therefore no call-outs for low system pressure.


htg

My advice is go for the drain down and treat your heating system to a bit of a clean. Before you drain down put in a cleaning agent (sentiel X400, or something similar) a few days before the work and use the heating as usual. THis will help celar sludge and nasty stuff in your rads/pipework. Then drain down, do the work you want to do and you will have a nice clean system to fill back up.

To then keep it clean for the future, inject an inhibitor (sentinel X100) when refilling

It is an extra 15-20 minutes to do a few days before that will help your system in the long term.

Those freezing packs are ok but you'll be stressed if it starts to unfreeze whilst you're soldering a joint...

regards,

AH.

Fitting a Magnaclean or Spirovent will help with system water in the long run too.