Radiator change

[TED36]

HI
Can anyone advise me please,i need to change a Radiator in a downstairs bathroom and put a bigger one in and will need to alter the pipework to suit,in the past i have used a Plumber to to do a similar job and he did not drain the system,he used drain plugs in the pipes somewhere in the header tank in the loft ,i presume to cause a vacum hence stoping the flow of water, could anyone explain this as it sounds like a time saving idea,i have a Baxi boiler in the chimney breast and firefront and header tank in loft is this a open system?

Thanks

Paul

 

[ChrisR]

You can sometimes use one bung in the Vent pipe over the samll cistern, and another one under water in the exit pipe connector in the same thing.
Best if you let some water from a drain point too, as that will form a partial vacuum IF it's working, and show you if it isn't.
Yes you have an open system.

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Item number 682070 6th from the bottomhere
OK for 'legs' if you work on them one at a time as they work on the drinking straw effect. By not allowing any air into the system the water being a liquid will not escape as it does not expand as a gas would.
DO NOT try to cut into a circuit as you will then have 2 open points on your system. One where air can get in and the other where the water gets out. Remember to turn the rad valves off tightly and take time to think the job out!
It is an excellent yet scary tool that has never let me down yet and hopefully never will. Since reading this forum I will always make sure I have a carrot, parsnip or potato handy for an emergency bung just in case