New kitchen, knocked-through room, a radiator that has always been in the wrong place behind the sofa. Moving a radiator or adding one is everyday heating work, but there is more to it than hanging a new panel on the wall.
Moving a radiator
The heating is drained down, the radiator comes off, and new pipe runs go to the new position, under the floor or along the skirting. Then the radiator goes back up with its valves, the system is refilled and bled, and checked for leaks.
How big a job it is depends mostly on the route for the pipes: a short run under floorboards is quick, solid floors or long runs take longer.
Adding a radiator
A new radiator needs sizing for the room, a route for its flow and return pipes back to the circuit, and its own valves. It also asks the boiler to heat more, so it is worth checking the boiler and pipework can carry it, especially in an extension.
Thermostatic valves
A move or a new radiator is a good moment to fit thermostatic radiator valves if you do not have them, so each room can be set to its own temperature.
Rebalance afterwards
This is the step that gets missed. Any change to where the radiators are changes how the flow shares out. Without rebalancing, the new radiator can steal heat from others or never get its share. We balance the system after any radiator move or addition.
Swapping like for like
Replacing an old radiator with a new one of the same width is the simplest version: often the pipes line up or need only small changes.
Price
Radiator swaps, moves and new runs are priced before we start, once we know where the pipes need to go. Send us the job, with a photo of the room if you can.