How to 'hide' these pipes...

[Johnytuono]

Hi all, hopefully someone can help

Please refer to the pics attached
Have just purchased this house and was looking at the rad below the boiler and notice the flow and return (15mm) are literally together in this ducting.
A couple of questions then :
1. Would the flow pipe transfer the heat to the return pipe as it actually touches it under the rad and thus then give a high(ish) return temp. back to the boiler (it actually then joins the return pipe coming from the pipes above the boiler that returns from all the other rads).
2. We are thinking of getting a vertical rad as a replacement for this particular rad and was wondering if the flow/return pipes behind said ducting could be chased into the wall giving a 'clean' finish OR even could the flow and return from above the boiler be tee'd off into the top of a vertical rad (ie in a way the rad is upside down) and then we could do away with the flow/return pipes that go into this rad that are under the boiler?

Btw The lockshield on this rad is virtually turned right down and all the system is balanced.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

1. Would the flow pipe transfer the heat to the return pipe as it actually touches it under the rad and thus then give a high(ish) return temp. back to the boiler (it actually then joins the return pipe coming from the pipes above the boiler that returns from all the other rads).

No, not a problem.

 

[ChrisJP]

If by "vertical radiator" you mean a "designer" vertical column radiator, then beware that one of the same size as your current double radiator will not give as much heat output and will take longer to heat the room.

 

[Johnytuono]

If by "vertical radiator" you mean a "designer" vertical column radiator, then beware that one of the same size as your current double radiator will not give as much heat output and will take longer to heat the room.

Thanks, yes I realise this, current rad is 1.5kw output but because it's in the kitchen we only want it as 'background' heat, so I'm thinking 1kw should suffice. We've looked at 1600 height by about 400 but not the designer ones (more like the 'old fashioned' ones) and they vary from 1 to 1.2kw.

 

[Madrab]

1. Would the flow pipe transfer the heat to the return pipe as it actually touches it under the rad and thus then give a high(ish) return temp. back to the boiler (it actually then joins the return pipe coming from the pipes above the boiler that returns from all the other rads).

Yes - enough to make a huge difference - not really, not ideal though.

was wondering if the flow/return pipes behind said ducting could be chased into the wall giving a 'clean' finish OR even could the flow and return from above the boiler be tee'd off into the top of a vertical rad (ie in a way the rad is upside down)

Yes the pipes could be chased into the wall. Top inlet and outlets - unles the rad is specifically configured to accept them (some are) then the rad won't work properly, hot water rises and there's no way to force the hot water down to the bottom of the rad unless it's actually channelled there, hence they need to be specifically designed for it.