I've unhung radiators before for decorating but I'm having trouble
taking them off in our new house.

We've just had the boiler done and the 20 year old radiators were all
fitted with new TRVs (Boss supreme) and lockshield valves. Not just
the valves, but also the bit that sticks out of the radiator that has
the nut on it.

I'm trying to unhang the downstairs rads - a new experience for me as
I used to live in a first floor flat. When I unscrew the nut as far
as it will go, the threads on the valve are clear (just), but there's
a lip that extends beyond them under the loosened nut. As we have
concrete floors, the pipes are horizontal along the wall rather than
poking out of the floor, so it feels like there's little give to tease
that lip out. I don't want to force anything that'll lead to them
springing a leak.

Is there a chance that the plumber might have assembled the valves
onto the radiator before connecting them to the supply and return
pipes? If so then I'm concerned that forcing the rads one way or
another might cause a leak. If not, then I'd guess that it's okay for
me to force the radiator over to one side as presumably that's what he
did to fit the valves in the first place.

I've left a message for the plumber which should answer the question
of how he attached the valves. Any help/advice appreciated though, as
we have a badly-filled crack in the wall that extends behind one
radiator so I really would like to get it off to smooth the wall.

wrote in message
ups.com...
I've unhung radiators before for decorating but I'm having trouble
taking them off in our new house.

We've just had the boiler done and the 20 year old radiators were all
fitted with new TRVs (Boss supreme) and lockshield valves. Not just
the valves, but also the bit that sticks out of the radiator that has
the nut on it.

I'm trying to unhang the downstairs rads - a new experience for me as
I used to live in a first floor flat. When I unscrew the nut as far
as it will go, the threads on the valve are clear (just), but there's
a lip that extends beyond them under the loosened nut. As we have
concrete floors, the pipes are horizontal along the wall rather than
poking out of the floor, so it feels like there's little give to tease
that lip out. I don't want to force anything that'll lead to them
springing a leak.

Is there a chance that the plumber might have assembled the valves
onto the radiator before connecting them to the supply and return
pipes? If so then I'm concerned that forcing the rads one way or
another might cause a leak. If not, then I'd guess that it's okay for
me to force the radiator over to one side as presumably that's what he
did to fit the valves in the first place.

I've left a message for the plumber which should answer the question
of how he attached the valves. Any help/advice appreciated though, as
we have a badly-filled crack in the wall that extends behind one
radiator so I really would like to get it off to smooth the wall.

Are the nuts you have undone 'normal' 15mm size nuts or the big old style
that were on radiators a few years ago? If the former then the valve
usually has a short tail on it that goes inside the radiator with a 15mm
olive on it. If it is this type you should be able to prise the tail out.
I have done this many times but YMMV, and don't blame me if you have a flood
;-).

HTH

John

Are the nuts you have undone 'normal' 15mm size nuts

Yep.

If the former then the valve
usually has a short tail on it that goes inside the radiator with a 15mm
olive on it. If it is this type you should be able to prise the tail out.
I have done this many times but YMMV, and don't blame me if you have a flood
;-).


Sounds a little too dangerous for me . The problem seems to me to
be that the tail is wider than the cetre of the nut for over half its
length, which is stopping me from getting the nut out of the way.
That might be a normal thing though.

If pushed, I'll try to do what I can from the side and use a behind-a-
radiator roller, but I would like to do it right.

On Thu, 26 Apr 2007 06:46:21 -0700, Bromley86 wrote:

I've unhung radiators before for decorating but I'm having trouble
taking them off in our new house.

We've just had the boiler done and the 20 year old radiators were all
fitted with new TRVs (Boss supreme) and lockshield valves. Not just
the valves, but also the bit that sticks out of the radiator that has
the nut on it.

I'm trying to unhang the downstairs rads - a new experience for me as
I used to live in a first floor flat. When I unscrew the nut as far
as it will go, the threads on the valve are clear (just), but there's
a lip that extends beyond them under the loosened nut.

This is normal for this sort of coupling. All modern TRVs (and some
non-TRVs) now use these which are basically compression joints, and yes
there's a few mm of pipe (from the rad tail) which extends into the outlet
of the valve. (Both inlet and outlet of the valve have the same couplings
and you can actually mount the valve at 90 degrees so its head is
horizontal instead of vertical.)


As we have
concrete floors, the pipes are horizontal along the wall rather than
poking out of the floor, so it feels like there's little give to tease
that lip out. I don't want to force anything that'll lead to them
springing a leak.

Is there a chance that the plumber might have assembled the valves
onto the radiator before connecting them to the supply and return
pipes? If so then I'm concerned that forcing the rads one way or
another might cause a leak. If not, then I'd guess that it's okay for
me to force the radiator over to one side as presumably that's what he
did to fit the valves in the first place.

Use a bigger hammer :-)

Copper pipe is fairly springy so if all else fails you may be able to
release a couple of pipe clips and bow the pipe to help pull it away. Also
try sliding the rad on its brackets away from the valve you're undoing, if
there's play at the other valve, to give you more clearance (provided the
rad isn't too heavy and/or its brackets securely too flimsily!