Central heating drain off

[warren100uk]

Hi,

My mate needs me to fit a towel rail for him in his flat, its just going to replace a radiator. When i went there, i cant find a system drain off. He has got wooden floors so cant really take up any floor boards to see if i can find it. Is there any other way to drain the system???

I have thought about using a pipe freezing kit, but the is only about 5 or 6 inchs of pipe coming up through the floor, is that enough pipe to freeze and put a drain off on?

Any help would be great.

Thanks

 

[JPC]

some solutions...you choose

1- find a loose floor board..lift it and cut a pipe...let the system drain into the ground under the house....uh errr..i hear them all say
2 - isolate a small rad, crack the valve open (on rad side) and drain the rad. take it off. get a 3/4 or 1/2 female thread attached to a hose and drain..by opening the valve
3 - buy a self cutting drain off valve (like the cheap garden tap diy ones), but you'll have to make repair after..ie solder a t" in with a drain off!!
4 - dunno

 

[namsag]

JPC Number 1 how could ya. bit of a fekker when there is another flat below though

 

[JohnD]

(a) Has it got an F&E tank? If so, bung it, then do (b) below

If not, make sure the filling loop is closed and do (b) below.

(b) close the valves at both ends of the rad you choose, undo the nut holding the valve to the rad at one side, put a biscuit tin, paint roller tray, plastic bowl or something under it to catch the water that dribbles out. You can drain it quicker by opening the bleed valve. When it stops, cautiously open one valve and let it dribble into your tray or bowl. After a while it will stop as there is no air entering the system to displace the water. I only ever open one point at a time, so finish fixing one end before you undo the other, but some peope say you can open both ends of the rad at the same time Then unfasten the old rad valve, and fit a new valve, with a drain-off cock incorporated.

You can use it to drain the system whenever you feel like it. they are best installed in a room with a hard floor, not an expensive carpet, so you can mop up any spillage. And preferably near an external door so you can throw a hose outside.

I am just a householder

 

[JPC]

good point about the flat below !!

i was assuming bunging it would not work, as towel rails (mostly) have diff positions for the valves, and require pipe adjustments etc....not to mention "ohhh can you just do it nice chrome pipe please"

the best ones are the "Bluetooth rads"......"ohhh, do those pipes have to go there".....er, yes

 

[JohnD]

Then I should have said bung it, open it until the water stops dribbling out, then remove one old valve, adjust the one pipe if you need to, put the new valve where it needs to be, then close that valve, and repeat the operation at the other side.

The key thing is that once you have bunged it and drained it until it stops dribbling, you can work on one valve or pipe without the water gushing out as long as the other one is closed. Anyway, if the first thing you do is fit a valve with drain, you then can empty it under conrol, if necessary.