DIY Replacing Radiators

[manorpurl]

Guys,
I am thinking of replacing my central heating system. However, quotes are coming in at around 8000 pounds which is a lot of money for me. I was thinking if i can do some diy when it comes to replacing radiators. I have got around 12-15 to replace.
How can i do this? I am thinking of spending 300 quid to go on a quick 5-day plumbing course. Doyou think this will help.

 

[Dan]

Definitely. I think it'd be worth doing the course as you can always use the skills in the future.

 

[manorpurl]

Thank you Dan. Would you recommend a good one? I am in Croydon, South London. There is one here from Builder Training Centre, but not sure if it is any good. Do you think i will have the skill to to drain system and then replace radiators? I would love it if i could do that.

 

[doitmyself]

Don't waste your money on a course. I learned all I needed from library books; there are plenty in Croydon libraries - I used to borrow them. The £300 you save will then go towards the cost of the rads and any other bits you need.

You can also get plenty of free advice from this forum, so here goes.

Assuming you intend doing this when the weather is warmer, you can start by getting two cans of Sentinel X400 cleaner, adding the contents to your system and leaving it there until you start the work. This will loosen all the sludge in the system and make it easier to flush through.

If you have a conventional boiler,with a small tank in the loft, you do it this way:
1. Tie up the ball valve
2. Bail out the water until it is just above the pipe exit at the bottom
Carefully remove all the sludge etc in the tank, making sure none goes down the pipe at the bottom of the tank
3. Add the X400 to the tank
4. Untie ball valve and let the tank fill
5. Retie ball valve

The next bit requires two people - on in the loft
6. Locate a drain point (usually on a ground floor radiator valve) and
drain off some water until the level in the tank falls to just above the lower outlet (that's why you need someone in the loft 😉 )
7. Untie ball valve.

If you have a combi or system boiler it is probably best to use the X400 Concentrate or Rapid-Dose and put it in via the filling loop or a radiator bleed valve. Instructions are on the cannister.

As for the actual job of changing rads, do you intend to change just the rad or do you want to replace the rad and the valves either side? The procedure is different. Also do you intend installing new TRVs?

Tell us what you intend doing.

Also tell us more about your existing system - boiler make and model would do for a start.

What sort of boiler are you thinking of installing - conventional, combi or system?

Lastly, £8000 sound a bit steep. Was it from British Gas or another large conglomerate? If so, get quotes from smaller independent installers.

 

[manorpurl]

Many Thanks doitmyself, i have ordered a book from amazon on plumbing. Good Reviews on this book: [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/190462362X/ref=ox_ya_os_product]Central Heating, Installation, Maintenance and Repair: Amazon.co.uk: Patrick Mitchell: Books[/ame]

You seem to be genius mate at all this, fitting all the rads everything yourself. Wish i was more confident in doing things by myself. I guess if you have enough knowledge and tools at hand, anything is possible. I am planning to take a week off in summer to do the radiators replacement. I need to fit around 10 of them, 2 a day should be ok to do i guess.

I intend to replace radiator, trv, lockshield valve. Also some rads are bigger than existing ones, so would need to lift the floor board and extend the pipe. That is the scary bit for me. I do not have any ideas about soldering cutting pipes and that is why i though undertaking a course would be beneficial. I got the quote for 8000 from an independent installer.

As per my current boiler, it is an antique Potterton Kingfisher RS80, it wastes so much energy. Our utility room where it is located is always hot because of inefficient gas burning.

 

[davetheplumber]

I am amazed that some one can quote you £8000 for the install. The job would come to no where near that for the supply and install. Some robbing s..ts out there.

 

[manorpurl]

I am amazed that some one can quote you £8000 for the install. The job would come to no where near that for the supply and install. Some robbing s..ts out there.

8000 quids is for the whole CH (includes radiators, hot water cylinder 220 CL, Valliant pro tec 37). We are replacing conventional heating to system. Would it cost this much though.

 

[gakmonkey]

8000 quids is for the whole CH (includes radiators, hot water cylinder 220 CL, Valliant pro tec 37). We are replacing conventional heating to system. Would it cost this much though.

Was the quote to repipe the whole house or use the existing pipework?

 

[davetheplumber]

8000 quids is for the whole CH (includes radiators, hot water cylinder 220 CL, Valliant pro tec 37). We are replacing conventional heating to system. Would it cost this much though.

absolutly no where near the amount that you have been quoted. Could easily travel daily from the coast and smash that rude price. No wonder you are going to try it yourself !!

 

[manorpurl]

Was the quote to repipe the whole house or use the existing pipework?

The quote was using existing pipework. Where the pipes are making noise, add some felt or lagging, which would obviously require lifting floorboards, carpet. I know there are 2 places where it makes noise, so 2 places to fix.