Central Heating Engineer?

Date published: 11th June 2011

Central Heating Engineer

This is most often caused by the very seasonal and sporadic nature of use on a rooms radiator over the all to short British summers, in stark comparison to the nearly almost constant usage in the winter and autumn months, like central heating combi boilers radiators may need to be fully serviced at the end of the summer when they are once again to be switched on, they can be found to have seized up or become sludged or blocked from much under-use.

Once most repairs no long are cost-efficient, it is a good time to have the radiator in your household completely and utterly replaced, especially with the advances in many modern radiators making them more energy and cost efficient as well as much more reliable.

Finding a Quality Boiler Repair Engineer

If you would rather not undertake removing your central heating radiator by yourself, there are a many number of ways you can get in contact with a local reliable plumber like J.Clifton Boilers Repair & Servicing that will carry out the job for you. There are many number of plumbing companies available to choose from, but if you want a guaranteed top quality service you will be best off calling us.

Always be sure to check the heating engineer has all the many relevant qualifications, like gas safe, and experience to carry out the work safely and effectively. Always allow yourself plenty of time to ring around several good plumbers or boiler repair companies in Plymouth to get the very best quote possible without compromising on quality or service.

Replacing a Central Heating Radiator by Yourself

Always consult a relevent qualified person before undertaking any work yourself. Like us! We will be only too happy to help.

If carried out correctly, the removal of a central heating radiator can be a very simplistic task. Here is a very basic step by step guide:

All water must first be drained from the heating circuit.

Nearly all of your radiators in Plymouth have two basic valves – one of these valves to let the water into the central heating radiator, and the another to let the water out again. One of these two valves turns the spindle inside to open and shut the pipework valve, called the lock sheild valve. The other valve mostly has a cone like shaped cover in white or grey, that will be very easily removed to reveal its metal spindle beneath, this is called the thermostatic valve.
Now, we must use these valves to shut down the radiator.

To begin you must remove the lockshields head nut, and turn it as far as it will go using a very small adjustable spanner or grips. In doing so, you have closed off the valve. Do the same on the thermostatic valve by turning its handle in a clockwise motion until fully off.

You will notice that in between the two valves and the radiator there will be a lage nut, this is part of the actual radiator itself. These nuts need to be securly undone, with the right hand most nut turned away from yourself, and the nut on the left hand towards yourself to undo it. These nuts can stay on the radiator.

What is always important when undoing these large nuts, and when tightening them again later, is to be very sure that you have a good firm grip on the valve with another adjustable spanner or grips. It is best to use two adequate adjustable spanners for this, one to undo the large nut and the other to hold the valve very firmly in place. Do not allow these copper pipes to bend, as they have a tendency to leak if they do and then will need to be repaired.

The radiator will be very full of liquid, so be very sure that you put some old rags or a bowl you don’t mind getting wet underneath the valves and around the copper pipes base, as there can be alot of leaking water.

You will need some help to undo both of these nuts, and now very gently pull both the valves away from the central heating radiator. Your fore finger and thumb will prove useful at this crucial point to put quickly over the hole made to reduce the liquid spilling out of it. With both the holes blocked it is time to lift up the radiator from its wall bracket. Depending on the type of radiator you have you may need to pull it up and forwards a little to lift it off the wall brackets.

To fit your new radiator, simply follow the reverse of these instructions.

Remember do not undertake any repair or replacement work unless you feel completely comfortable doing so.