Running pipes DOWN to radiator

[MarkSmith]

Hi folks,

As part of my cellar conversion I need to install a radiator. Central heating is pumped, with normal two-pipe feed and return arrangement.

The house is on a hill and is a funny split-level arrangement, meaning that even though it's in the cellar, the new radiator will be only a few cm below the lowest other radiator in the house, and still above the central heating pump, and above the existing drain point.

The issue is that it would be far far more convenient to run pipes DOWN the wall to the radiator (the pipes supplying the floor above run right above it), than to re-route the existing plumbing to enable the circuit to run below the new radiator.

It would be equivalent to adding a new radiator to the downstairs, by runnings the pipes UP from it to the upstairs "ring".

Is this OK to do? The problem I can see is that it makes a "u-bend" in the system which will not get drained by opening the existing drain point, even though the U-bend is above the level of the drain point.

It's not completely impossible to re-plumb to avoid this, but it's significantly more work and makes the pipes (currently really easy to hide in the ceiling/floor) impossible to hide.

I wouldn't mind adding a second drain point at the lowest point of this new "U", for the once-in-a-blue-moon that part of the system needs to be drained.

Thanks all!
-Mark

 

[BingoBongo]

use this

http://www.plumbworld.co.uk/lockshieldwheelhead-with-354-2784

 

[MarkSmith]

That looks just the job - thanks. That was roughly my thinking, although I didn't realise they were available as a neat single unit like that. And it's OK to use one of those and have the pipes-coming-down arrangement?

Ta,
Mark

 

[cmother1]

P.S. it is OK to drop down from above. Loads of houses with solid ground floors are done like this.

 

[MarkSmith]

Excellent, thanks!

 

[bengasman]

And remember to stick an extra drain cock under the rad