Radiator dripping at bottom. Replacement question?

[reneel]

I have a small but a constant drip form the bottom of 1 of my radiators downstairs. The others are OK. Tis drip started today and must be due to rust from old age?

I want to replace the radiator without draining down my whole heating system.

Do I need a radiator exactly the same size as my current one. It is single panel type?

Also, to replace do I use the same brackets or need to use the new ones with the new radiator??

Thank you for your help.

 

[seco services]

change the brackets and use the new ones, probably in slightly different places.

as for the rad if you want to change to a double panel rad depends on how much movement you have on your pipework.
if it comes up out of a screed floor or along the skirting board etc.

 

[reneel]

I want to keep the same radiator, ie single panel. will I get an exact match length and height wise though, are they standard sizes?

One other point - what is the easiest way to line up the new radiator brackets with the original pipes/valves coming out of the floor? Is it tricky?

 

[seco services]

if it a metric size not a problem if its imperial then it can come up slighly shorter then just fit a rad extension.

as for lining the new rad up is pretty straight foreward.
if you stand the rad in the centre of the two valves where its going to go
then you can pencil a mark where each bracket needs to be positioned on the wall. (not forgetting the rad can still be slid horizontal once the brackets are on the wall either way)

lay the rad on the floor.then i useally sit the rad brackets on the rad and measure from the bottom of the bracket to the centre of the valve tails.(useally about 70mm)
then on the wall measure with a spirt level the horizontal line between each centre of the rad valves.
from that line measure up what the distance was to the bottom of your brackts.

now you know how far up and how far in the ecah bracket has to be.

 

[reneel]

a radiator tail extension do you mean? I was thinking of keeping the same tails and re-using them in the new radiator?? Maybe I should buy new tails? 1/2" size I believe.

Is it best to hang the brackets loosely, put the rad to the wall and line up with the pipes carefully, mark the top of the brackets and fit them that way??