Although it’s not a common project, removing and replacing a radiator for hot water or a steam boiler heating system may come up from time to time. Generally speaking, it’s a job for a professional heating contractor, though a skilled DIYer can sometimes do it provided the system is not too complicated.
Is Your Radiator Making Noise?
Radiator Clicking Noises
Clicking and creaking noises are the most common noise a radiator or heated towel rail will make and this is actually pretty normal. It’s most likely that this is caused by expansion of the metal after a rush of hot water flows into it.
Similarly, when the radiator cools down, the metal contracts as the hot water gets cooler.
How to Fix a Clicking Radiator
It’s likely you’ll hear these clicking noises from your radiator when the heating is first turned on or turned off and it doesn’t mean your radiator is about to explode, so you do not need to worry about radiator clicking noises unless it persists and changes its sound – if so, read on!
Radiator Gurgling Noises
It’s also very common to hear gurgling noises in your radiators, which is caused by trapped air that needs to be released. We know that hot water heats radiator pipes, but air can sometimes get trapped along with the water, and can cause cold spots in your radiator especially at the bottom.
How to Fix a Gurgling Radiator
A quick fix to this problem is to bleed your radiator, and it’s recommended that you bleed your radiator every year before the heating season to ensure they’re ready for action.
To do this, turn your heating off, then use a radiator key to loosen the valve on each radiator by slowly turning it anti-clockwise.
You should hear a hissing sound as the air escapes, then close the valve when all the excess air has been released. Your radiator should now heat up a lot more efficiently and the gurgling noises should stop.
You should also be flushing the sludge from your radiators regularly if you’re experiencing cold spots, as there could be an accumulation of dirt and dust building up inside. Check out how to do this properly in our step by step guide for flushing radiator sludge.
Radiator Making Water Noise
Your radiator may be making noises that sound like running or dripping water which can also be caused by air pockets. Although water is used to heat radiators, you shouldn’t be able to hear the water, so it’s likely the trapped air is limiting the water from circulating the radiator pipes properly.
How to Fix Radiator Making a Water Noise
You can also solve this problem by bleeding your radiator to ensure all the air escapes, which enables a steady flow of water inside your radiator pipes.
Radiator Banging Noises
This can be caused by kettling, which is a build up of limescale in your central heating system, not actually your radiators themselves. Hard water areas such as the South and East of England are prone to kettling, thus noisy radiators!
How to Fix a Banging Noise in Your Radiator
In some cases, this can be solved by draining your radiator to free up trapped water and air. You need to ensure you turn off the boiler and gas supply, turn off the intake valve and wait for the radiator to cool down and open the drain valve again.
You should have some liquid released by the radiator which you can catch in a bowl, at this point you can turn the valve off and turn everything back on.
If the banging noise persists, it may be that you need to have your boiler power flushed to ensure all the limescale and grime is removed. This will minimise future sounds and keep your heating as efficient as possible.
Radiator Whistling
A radiator may create a whistling sound when the air inside the radiator is heated and begins to expand and move through the pipes. This movement of air causes the pipes to vibrate, which then creates a whistling sound.
How to Fix Radiator Whistling
Check to see if the whistling noise is coming from the air vents. If it is, you may need to adjust the valves to reduce the air flow. If the noise is not coming from the air vents, it may be coming from the pipes.
Check the pipes to make sure they are properly connected and that there are no loose connections.
Finally, check the radiator itself. If the whistling noise is definitely coming from the radiator itself, it may be due to a build-up of sediment. To fix this, you can try flushing the radiator with a mixture of water and vinegar.
Why might you need to replace hot water or steam radiator? There are several reasons.
Reasons for Replacing a Radiator
There are several scenarios in which you might need to remove and replace a radiator:
- First, it’s possible that the radiator is simply worn out. Cast iron radiators can rust from the inside out, and when a radiator begins to develop pinhole leaks, there’s little option but to replace it.
- Your radiator may not be big enough to supply the heat a room needs, requiring that you replace it with a larger model.
- Perhaps the style of the radiator is unbearably old-fashioned to you. Manufacturers today make a variety of designer radiators, such as flat-panel designs that look more like wall art than functional radiators.
- Finally, it’s possible you simply need to remove the old radiator temporarily so that you can make wall repairs or paint the walls.
Whatever the reason for removing and replacing a radiator, the process looks much the same. Before you do so, make sure there are no other easier solutions to fix the problem at hand.
Troubleshooting a Radiator That Doesn’t Heat
If the radiator doesn’t heat up, it often indicates that the air valve is stuck shut, blocking cold air inside the radiator and preventing steam from entering
1. Open the Valve
Make sure the supply valve is fully open (turned counterclockwise all the way). Use a wrench if the valve is resistant to turning.
2. Check the Thermostat
Check to see if the thermostat in the room (as applicable) is set too low. Confirm that the thermostat is set above the current room temperature.
3. Ensure the Proper Slope
Check to see if the radiator is sloped properly. On one-pipe systems, it should slope slightly toward the end of the radiator with the supply valve and pipe. Shim under the feet of the radiator as needed to achieve a proper pitch of 1 inch for every 10 feet toward the supply valve. On two-pipe systems, the radiators should slope away from the supply valve and toward the return pipe.
How to Replace a Steam Radiator – Step-by-Step
Step 1 – Consider Repairing the Radiator.
If the reason you want to replace your radiator, is it seems to malfunction, check first whether you can repair it. If, for example, the radiator is whistling too loud or leaking from the valve, you can try to change the air vent or replace the valve rod gasket.
These are easy to perform operations, which you will be able to do in no time. You just need a good wrench and some teflon tape (as an aside, only leaks that do not come from the valve or vent necessitate the replacement of the radiator).
Step 2 – Switch Off the Boiler.
If you are perfectly sure you want to change the radiator, go to the basement, or the room where the boiler is, and switch it off. The boiler should not be working during the replacement operations.
Step 3 – Turn off the Valve.
Turn off the valve to the radiator (usually, it is situated near the floor). Be careful—the valve may still be hot. Use a thick cloth if necessary.
Step 4 – Disconnect the Radiator.
Take a large pipe wrench and with counter-clockwise movements unscrew the nut which connects the radiator and the valve. Keep unscrewing until the nut is fully released from the coupler. Lift the radiator if needed and pull it away from the valve.
Step 5 – Purchase Radiator.
Now you are ready to mount the new radiator. Before you proceed, however, a precious piece of advice may be worth considering.
When steam is produced in the boiler, it is simultaneously distributed to the radiators. So, to achieve optimal performance of the heating system, all radiators in the room must be of equal size proportionate to the room dimensions.
In other words, the new radiator must have similar, if not the same, proportions to the other radiators in the room where it will be installed.’
Furthermore, avoid purchasing small radiators as they tend to retain condensate (i.e. water from cooled steam) in themselves, which obstructs the free movement of the steam.
Step 6 – Position and Connect the New Radiator
Position the new radiator correctly, the coupler pointing straight up. You may want to set the radiator at an angle towards the valve so in the future, when condensate is formed, it will be able to return easily to the furnace.
Screw the nut with your hand until the threads are aligned and tightened correctly. Then take the pipe wrench and fix the nut securely with clockwise movements. You can now turn the valve on and check if the new radiator functions properly.