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How to Reconnect a Radiator | Ask This Old House

Bathroom
By Quentin Peters
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A homeowner’s radiator sprung away from the pipe when he tried to replace the valve, so Ask This Old House plumbing and HVAC expert Richard Trethewey heads to his house to help him reconnect it

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Time: 1-2 hours
Cost: $50
Skill Level: Difficult

Tools List for Reconnecting a Radiator:
Spud wrench [https://amzn.to/35yvZhX]
Pipe wrenches [https://amzn.to/31f9tY0]
Ratchet straps [https://amzn.to/2ORaXVQ]
Shims [https://amzn.to/2OQlMrd]

Shopping List:
Hose [https://amzn.to/2BeSWbV]
Radiator valve [https://amzn.to/35HkTHx]
Pipe dope [https://amzn.to/2MNaZLy]
Single strand wicking [https://amzn.to/2IQ6ONN]
2×4’s or other scrap wood [https://amzn.to/32kEniO]

Steps:
1. Start by shutting off the boiler and the cold water feed to the boiler.
2. Drain the system using a hose and vent each radiator in the house.
3. Remove the temporary caps using the pipe wrenches. When using the wrench, be sure that it touches the pipe in three places so it does not damage the pipe.
4. Disconnect the spud from the radiator valve.
5. Apply the pipe dope to the threads of the spud and seal it with the single strand wicking.
6. Using the spud wrench, carefully tighten the spud in position. Be sure the threads correctly catch to prevent damage to the spud.
7. Apply the pipe dope and wicking to the pipe coming up through the floor.
8. Thread the other half of the radiator valve onto the pipe, again being cautious of cross threading.
9. Tighten the radiator valve using the pipe wrenches. Once the valve is in the direction of the radiator, it can be reconnected.
10. Wrap the ratchet straps around the legs of the radiator and put a 2×4 or another piece of scrap wood into the strap. Using the 2×4 as a lever, carefully pull the radiator into position with the valve. It might help to wedge shims on the other side of the radiator to hold it in place. You can use multiple levers if you need to adjust the height as well.
11. Once the radiator has been moved so it’s perfectly aligned with the valve, connect the valve to the spud using the nut that connects the two.
12. Once the connection has been made, tighten it with a wrench.
13. With all the work done, turn the cold water feed and the boiler back on and vent all the radiators again.

Resources:
All the tools Richard used to reconnect the radiator, including wrenches, pipe dope, wicking, and the radiator valve, can all be found at home centers and plumbing supply houses.

About Ask This Old House TV:
From the makers of This Old House, America’s first and most trusted home improvement show,Ask This Old Houseanswersthe steady stream of home improvement questions askedby viewersacross the United States.Covering topicsfrom landscaping toelectrical to HVAC and plumbingto painting and more.Ask This Old House features the expertsfrom This Old House, includinggeneral contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, landscape contractor Jenn Nawada, master carpenter Norm Abram,and host Kevin O’Connor. Ask This Old House helps you protect and preserve your greatest investment—your home.

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Watch the full episode:
https://www.thisoldhouse.com/watch/radiator-fireplace-veneer-ask-toh

How to Reconnect a Radiator
https://www.youtube.com/user/thisoldhouse/

(Visited 9 times, 1 visits today)
7-10 minutesAsk This Old Houseask this old house richard tretheweyasking this old house plumbingdiyDIY Ideashome centershome improvementHow To BuildHow To FixHow To InstallHow to videosHVACplumbingplumbing and HVACradiatorradiator valveReconnect a RadiatorrenovationRenovation Ideasreplace the valveRichard Tretheweyrichard trethewey ask this old housesThis Old Housethis old house how to videosthis old house richard trethewey

About The Author

Quentin Peters

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Comment (0)

  8. If anyone didn't have wicking just use horse hair and grease we do this in Poland and it works all the time because Teflon tape is just not economical to use

  10. If those two legs on the rad aren’t back on the floor there would still be stress on the connection fittings. Maybe they left a wedge under the legs?

  15. Does the system ever need to be flushed (something like a vehicle radiator) because of hard water build-up or contaminants? Does an additive get added to prevent rust/corrosion, etc…? Thank you.

  20. I've been an industrial plumber for 11yrs now (2009 – ) and there's no greater feeling than finally connect a union fitting after a long day of laying pipe.

  22. I don't have a radiator nor do I know anything about it but it looks like Richard is putting a lot of pressure/tension on the pipe by supporting the radiator.. In the long run the pipe will give up

  35. Should have cut about 1/2 in. extra threads on existing pipe or replaced it with one about 1/2 in. shorter. It would then go together without all of the lifting and prying, and there would be less stress on the pipe and radiator.

  36. Guy: Hi Richard, I tried wedges and straps, but it doesn't work, I need help.
    Richard: Let me show you the trick. What you actually need is a wedge and straps.

  37. VIEWER BEWARE!!

    Now that I look at it again and again and again, there's a slight mention of bleeding the radiator. He mentions very briefly if you catch it halfway in and again at the very end. He should be saying " it's very important to bleed EVERY SINGLE RADIATOR IN THE HOUSE. What is said could easily be interpreted by a homeowner who is not used to doing this as (it's important to bleed the radiator in the system) Bleeding the system is THE ONE MOST IMPORTANT STEP!!!!! I see this time and time again with This Old House. They spend more time talking about the family and how lovely the house is and filling up the video with exciting animations. No mention of the important stuff. All I can say against anyone who's going to argue with me is that at least 25% of this video should have been dedicated to the bleeding and just as important, the sequence of bleeding. But that 'makes for bad TV I suppose which is more important than helping people to fix problems. Their advice will lead to you wasting a weekend and then having to find and schedule a plumber and of course the cost which comes with that.
    Whatever you do do not take their advice on installing any electrical or flammable fuel devices. And if you do I would double and triple check what they are telling you. This is a disgrace TOH

  38. Hemp and candle wick work similar for thread sealant. They expand and seal if they get wet.
    Originally here it looks like it went into a 90 with a LR nipple. Always difficult adding the Dahl valve.

  46. I have come into this problem before after people have used this exact fix. After Time you're building will settle and fittings will fail. It's sad to say that this is the only video with the master plumber that I don't approve of. There were a few different tactics in which you could have tried before forcibly pulling the two connections together. Easiest workaround would probably been sawzall and moving plumbing over an inch or two after cutting out a considerable amount of notches underneath your floor. Other than that you could have had a flexible line that would have been able to make the bend necessary so threads line up to meet joints. Flexible lines are now in use and should be utilized in situations of retrofitting. I hope this helps.

  49. How does a radiator plumbed like that ever get much hot water circulating through it? Wouldn't most of the water circulation be through just the very bottom area of the radiator, since the inflow and outflow are both down at the bottom? Was this radiator plumbed like this originally, or was it previously a steam system? Compared to steam, hot water carries so much less heat. Seems like a downgrade in performance to change a steam system over to hot water.

  52. Ive seen some people bleeding the radiators through a screw on the top of the radiator with a radiator key..it was explained that this method is to get air out of the radiator. Is this method needed with steam heat radiators that have side vents? Ty.. Matthew

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