Radiators are an integral part of your central heating system at home and are rarely removed. Removing your radiator could be because of a range of different things, such as decorating, replacing your radiator, maintenance, balancing your radiators and much more. You could call a professional in to do this for you, but who needs the unnecessary costs? Here, we’ve pulled together a step-by-step guide on how to take a radiator off a wall, so you can easily do this when needed.
CAN I REMOVE MY RADIATOR?
Removing your radiators is pretty straightforward and can be done by yourself in just a couple of hours if you know what you’re doing. For those who enjoy DIY, or who don’t want to call in a professional, you can follow simple steps to removing a radiator in your home, whether that’s to replace or temporarily remove it during maintenance and decorating. When removing an electric radiator be sure to check the electric connections and follow all relevant safety procedures depending on the model.
WHY TAKE A RADIATOR OFF A WALL FOR MAINTENANCE
Maintenance of your radiator can be in the form of cleaning it, repairing it, bleeding it, balancing it or flushing if you’ve started noticing issues with your radiators in your home. Issues you could be facing are cold spots on your radiator, your radiator being cold at the top or bottom, your radiator making frequent clicking or banging noises and any other unusual activity. Knowing how to remove a radiator is great general knowledge if anything happens to your radiator in the future, and that’s why we’ve pulled together a guide for how to remove a radiator yourself. When removing a radiator for maintenance, you should prepare a good number of newspapers, old rags and a bucket or wash bowl to catch any dirt, debris, and water from the radiator as this can be quite messy.
If you’re planning on removing a radiator completely, you can leave the capping radiator valve and other pipework to the professionals, as you might end up creating ‘dead legs’ in the pipework.
REMOVING A RADIATOR FOR DECORATING
If you’re wanting to give your room a little makeover, you’ll need to take your radiator off the wall so that you can get to every bit of the wall with paint or wallpaper without ruining the radiator’s paintwork. Removing vertical radiators or column radiators is especially important, as it’s easier to see the undecorated area behind the wall if you were to leave this out.
TOOLS FOR REMOVING A RADIATOR
When removing a radiator, it’s important that you make sure you are doing it safely and properly. To do this, you will need the right tools:
- An adjustable spanner
- A pair of grips
- 2 x towels
- A washing-up bowl or bucket
- A radiator bleed key
HOW TO DISCONNECT A RADIATOR
Disconnecting a radiator involves separating it from the pipes that supply and return hot water to it. It can be necessary to do this for several reasons, such as replacing the radiator, repairing the pipes, or remodelling the room. Before starting, it’s important to turn off the heating system and allow the radiator to cool down completely. This will prevent any hot water or steam from escaping and causing injury.
Then, locate and turn off the valves that control the flow of water to the radiator. Use pliers or a spanner to loosen the nuts connecting the valves to the radiator, and gently pull the valves away from the radiator. If there are any additional pipes connected to the radiator, remove them as well. Finally, lift the radiator away from the wall and move it to a safe location. To reconnect, reverse the steps and test the radiator. If you’re not confident, call a professional plumber.
HOW TO REMOVE A RADIATOR
Taking a radiator off the wall can be a fairly easy job in the hands of a competent plumber who has taken many radiators off the wall in their time. However, by following our steps below on how to take a radiator off a wall, you shouldn’t find it much more difficult.
Step 1: Turn Off Your Radiator
This may come as no surprise, but when you are removing your radiator, you need to make sure it is turned off and cooled down to prevent any burning. Close your radiator valves by turning them clockwise until they are tightly shut, as this will isolate the radiator from the rest of your central heating system.
Step 2: Prepare for Your Radiator to Be Removed
Place your towels and the washing-up bowl underneath the radiator valve, as this will catch any water from your radiator as you begin to remove it. This will help you avoid stains on the floor beneath.
Step 3: Undo Radiator Valve Unit
Once the bowl is underneath, take your grips and your adjustable spanner and gently undo the radiator valve nut.
Step 4: Drain the Water from Your Radiator
Use your washing up bowl to catch all the water that you drain from your radiator. Then, use your bleed key to open the bleed valve by turning your key anti-clockwise, as this will help to drain the last few drops out of the radiator and into the bowl. Once this has been drained, close the valve back up by rotating the key clockwise and move to the other side of the radiator. Undo the nut on this side and gently lift the radiator from the brackets and tip out any remaining fluid into the washing bowl or bucket. If the radiator is heavy, you may need assistance with this.
Bung up the valve inlets with tissue paper once you are happy that all the excess water has been removed and proceed to remove the radiator from the wall.
Step 5: Lift the Radiator Off the Wall
Gently lift your radiator off of its brackets and move it aside or out of the room. If your radiator is heavy, get some help from a friend or family member to help you move it. You can now continue to decorate your wall, replace your radiator, or clean your radiator. Please note that if you are painting the wall, make sure you leave the paint to dry fully before putting your radiator back on.
Step 6: Reconnect Your Radiator
Once you’re ready to put your radiator back on the wall, put your radiator back on the brackets and reconnect it to the valves and pipework. Open the valves fully by turning them clockwise.
HOW TO REMOVE THE TOP OF A RADIATOR
Assuming your radiator does have a removable top, the first step is to turn off the heating system and allow the radiator to cool down completely. This will prevent any hot water or steam from escaping and causing injury.
Next, you’ll want to locate the clips or screws that hold the top of the radiator in place. Depending on the type of radiator you have, these may be located on the side or the back of the radiator.
Once you’ve located the clips or screws, use a screwdriver or a pair of pliers to remove them. If your radiator has clips, you may need to gently pry them open with a flathead screwdriver before you can remove them. If your radiator has screws, you’ll simply need to unscrew them using the appropriate tool.
After you’ve removed the clips or screws, gently lift the top of the radiator up and off of the radiator body. Be careful not to tilt the top too much or too quickly, as there may still be water or debris inside that could spill out.
TAKEAWAY
Removing your radiator is a pretty simple task for those who are confident with DIY. It saves you money as you won’t need to hire a professional, and you can improve your general handyman skills around the house, which always comes in handy. Our guide on how to remove a radiator is easy enough for those new to DIY, however, if you have any more questions don’t hesitate to get in touch.
Looking to remove a radiator because you are looking to replace it with a new one? Browse our full range whether looking for designer radiators, towel rail radiators and more online.
