How to Take a Radiator Off a Wall

Take your radiator off your wall for servicing.

Radiators are placed along walls to provide radiant heat for warming a room. Taking a radiator off a wall, whether for servicing or because you need to reach the wall area behind the radiator, isn't difficult, but care must be taken when removing the radiator, because the radiator is attached to pipes that provide the hot water that heats the room. Otherwise, you could wind up with a room full of water.

Things You'll Need

• Drop cloth/plastic cloth Wrench Bowl 2 Pairs of pliers

Instructions

1. Turn off your heating system so that water is no longer circulating through the pipes. You can do this at the boiler or main circuit. Allow the water to cool for an hour.

2. Place a drop cloth or plastic sheet underneath the radiator you plan to remove.

3. Close off both the valves at either end of the radiator. In most setups, one of these will be a turn switch that you can manually shut off, while the other end will have to be shut with a wrench.

4. Locate the radiator bleed screw, which is usually placed near the top. Open the screw with a bleed wrench. This will help the water drain.

5. Drain the radiator. Place a plastic bowl beneath the drain valve attached to either the inlet or outlet valve. You can identify this valve because it will be horizontally placed on the valve, as opposed to the vertical placement of the inlet and outlet valves. Open the drain valve with a wrench. Allow the water to drain into the bowl. Empty the bowl as needed, closing the drain valve while doing so.

6. Begin disconnecting the radiator at one of the shut-off valves. Because radiator pipes tend to be thin, they need to be held steady while unscrewing the union coupling that joins the pipe to the radiator. Hold the pipe and inlet with a pair of pliers while unscrewing the union coupling with another pair of pliers. Do this for the valve on the other side.

7. Lift the radiator up from any brackets securing it to the wall, or unscrew any bolts keeping it in place.

References

• Ultimate Handyman: Removing a Radiator