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Moving a One Pipe Steam Radiator

rhw1
rhw1 Member Posts: 32
in Strictly Steam
The plaster behind my radiator has collapsed. I need to get behind the unit to clean up and re-plaster. Is there someway away to swing it 45 degrees? It's pretty old about 3 feet tall with with 10 sections?

Comments

  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,510
    Not like that.
    Disconnect it at the unions and you can move it anyway you wish.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • rhw1
    rhw1 Member Posts: 32
    Will I have a problem disconnecting at the union due to the age of the radiator? Can one person move the radiator with a hand truck?
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,510
    The answer to both of those is "it depends".

    The unions should come loose without much trouble.

    Can one person move it? That depends upon who the person is.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    mrmikesimons
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,493
    I'm nearly 80, @rhw1 , and as @Ironman says -- depends on how far you want to move it. A few feet, though, to get at your plaster -- you can walk it over, one end at a time -- unless your floor is really really beautiful. You won't be able to pick the whole thing up, though, by yourself. Hand truck? Piece of cake.

    When you're taking the union off, though -- make sure you are turning the nut the correct way... >:)
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    ethicalpaul
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,248
    If you try swing the rad without disconnecting the union, you may very well twist off the riser pipe pipe.

    Also once disconnected it will be very top heavy and prone to tipping.

    Post a picture of the union for advice of which to turn the union nut.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,493
    A couple of other thoughts, while we're trying to be helpful.

    The things are top heavy. Don't let it start to tip on you while you are moving it! A little tip, fine -- a lot... not so much.

    And you may want to slip something under where the valve joins the riser. Sometimes they want to drop when you get the union undone...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • rhw1
    rhw1 Member Posts: 32

  • rhw1
    rhw1 Member Posts: 32

  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,510
    Is this before or after?
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,248
    edited July 2020
    To loosen that nut you would put a pipe wrench so the jaws are securely on the flats and the back of the "hook" of the wrench is on the top of the nut. This is called 3 pointing, it helps avoid egg shaping the nut or any pipe for that matter.

    You would push the handle down towards the floor.
    The big nut will stay with the spud on the radiator, you are unscrewing the nut off of the valve. Counterclock wise if you were looking from the far end of the rad.

    You can put some thin strips of plywood under the legs to slid the rad away and protect your floor.

    Once the rad is away check inside the valve that the rubber washer is attached to the stem, operate it so you know it opens and closes correctly.

    To put back together, make sure the union is lined up with the valve, The union is not there to correct any misalignment.
    Make sure the threads and the nose of the spud are clean. A touch of dish soap for lubricant on the nose and threads. Wiggle the rad a little as you tighten. You will be pulling up on the wrench then.
    ethicalpaul
  • rhw1
    rhw1 Member Posts: 32
    What is the approximate weight of a radiator like this?
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,510
    I can't tell if that's a 2 or 3 column rad, but the average is about 7lbs per sq. ft of EDR. So, about 250lbs.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.

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