Reattaching Radiator After Installing New Floor

r. perry

Using ethier a spade or Forstner Bit, carefully drill 4 holes through the new flooring material down to the level of the old floor where the radiator legs sit. You haven't said what kind of new floor material you're putting down..wood?, tile?, pergo?, vinyl?, carpet?..
The holes you drill, if you're careful enough and match the diameter of the radiator legs should be almost invisable and you could use whatever filler material, i.e., wood filler...grout, etc. to fill in any visable cut area remaining. This way you're not messing around with the landlords heating system which if you screw up in any way, could cost you big $$'s.........

FJL

What Do I Need To Know?

I want to install a new floor. I'll need to detach my radiators to do that. The new floor will go over the current floor, which means that my radiators will sit higher compared to the valve than on the old floor. How do I reattach the radiator to the valve if the radiator now sits higher than the valve?

salbuild_3

Raise the radiators for new floor

Check the "play" in the piping for the radiators by slightly lifting up one of the radiators before you remove it. There may be the 3/4" of play that you need to lift the pipe up to re-attach. Once you've put the new flooring in, protect the floor with a piece of scrap wood and use a crowbar to slightly lift the pipe up to match the radiator. Best of luck. I've done it at a number of customer's houses successfully. Easiest to do on second floors where there is a longer pipe run.

FJL

I'm not sure I have much play. Earlier this year, I tried to lift the radiators as a potential remedy to fix a pitched steam pipe, but there was almost no give. If that is true, am I stuck? (We have since replaced the steam pipe and repitched it).

I also live in an apt building. If I did find some give to lift the valve to the radiator, will doing that effect people who live above me and feed from the same riser that feeds my radiator?

FJL

My Plumber says . . .

that he can put in a new nipple if need be, so I guess that is the answer, although it will add to the cost of the project.