NEED SOME HELP WITH STEAM RAD

Krista_2

Ok - I need to take off the connecting pipe on the rad, but I cannot get it off. I'm so afraid of breaking the radiator. My husband even tried. The pipe was put on with pipe dope, not pipe thread, and who knows how long ago (the house is over 100yrs old). This is my main heating radiator, and it's really starting to get cold in my house. I live in central MA. Does anyone have any suggestions, or know of someone in the area experienced with the old steam rads to help me out.

Thanks
Krista

Brad White

I have to ask

what the problem is with the radiator in the first place? If it is not heating, can that be solved while the radiator is in place? Or is it already disconnected and you are trying to get out the nipple (spud) which is in the tapping?

If it is a spud removal, you need a spud wrench- not a scary thing by any means and it has nothing to do with potatoes.

A spud wrench is a bar of metal about a foot long, tapered and stepped like a mandrel and with grooves milled into the sides along the length. This bar is slid into the end of the spud (nipple connector) with the internal spud projections gripped and turned internally by the spud wrench. (With me here?

A pipe wrench, maybe one with a "helper" or length of pipe as a handle extension for leverage, is used at the spud wrench flat to turn it. Some WD-40 penetrating lubricant can help a lot. Let it soak then sneak up on the spud with a quick jerk to loosen it.

Given that you may have already tried to loosen it without a spud wrench, I would buy another valve set just to make sure. Your local supply house would have a spud wrench and a new hand-valve which probably will match nearly perfectly.

Good Luck!