How to Replace a Steam Radiator | Ask This Old House

Ask This Old House plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey replaces a small radiator with one that’s the correct size.

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Richard used an existing radiator leftover in the homeowner’s house, but a replacement radiator could be bought at plumbing supply stores or salvage yards.

Time: 4 hours
Cost: $100 and up
Skill Level: Moderate

Tools List for Replacing a Steam Radiator:
2 pipe wrenches
Pipe (for persuasion)
Spud wrench

Shopping List:
Replacement radiator
Hand valve
Spud
Pipe dope
Single strand wicking

Steps:
1. Switch off the steam boiler to prevent risk of scalding.
2. Loosen the nut holding the radiator. Make sure the wrench is biting the nut in three different corners to prevent the nut from deforming.
3. Carefully remove the old radiator.
4. (Optional): To replace the hand valve, use one wrench to bite the pipe and one wrench to bite the valve. Move in opposite directions to loosen. This step may require a pipe for persuasion.
5. (Optional): To replace the spud, insert the spud wrench to loosen, then remove.
6. Make all the necessary connections with the wrench: floor to hand valve, hand valve to spud. Apply the pipe dope and the wicking to each thread to ensure a secure connection. The hand valve should be parallel to the floor in order to fit back into the radiator.
7. Carefully fit the new radiator into place and connect it with pipe dope and the wrench.
8. Open the hand valve and turn the boiler back on.

Resources:
The other tools for this project, including the hand valve, pipe wrenches, and a spud wrench can be purchased from a plumbing supply store.

About Ask This Old House TV:
Homeowners have a virtual truckload of questions for us on smaller projects, and we're ready to answer. Ask This Old House solves the steady stream of home improvement problems faced by our viewers—and we make house calls! Ask This Old House features some familiar faces from This Old House, including Kevin O'Connor, general contractor Tom Silva, plumbing and heating expert Richard Trethewey, and landscape contractor Roger Cook.

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How to Replace a Steam Radiator | Ask This Old House
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