Steam radiator valve piping too close to the wall

branimal

I renovated an old apartment in Brooklyn, NY which had plaster and lathe walls. B/c of the new metal studs, sheetrock, and baseboard I bumped out the radiator piping a little bit, but not enough in this room. I forgot to account for the width a valve at the radiator connection point. Kicking myself.

How would you guys go about installing a valve here? I'm thinking cut the baseboard with a multitool. Install the valve. Reinstall the baseboard. Touch up paint.

Big Ed_4

Use a 45 el and expect to raise the radiator

SteamingatMohawk

If you can't enlarge the hole in the floor to give you more room, make sure whatever you do to the baseboard accommodates being able to use a wrench on the union fitting for the radiator. Trial fit before you permanently reinstall the baseboard.

Alternatively, don't remove a piece all the way to the corner, just cut out a section that let's you work on both ends of the valve. Caulk the joints and nobody but you will ever notice it. That way you don't have to mess around with the corner miter.

JUGHNE

Cut a mouse hole in the wall large enough to install a 90 pointing out, add a nipple as long as needed and another 90 with nipple and use a straight feed rad valve with it's union.

You may have to take the bonnet and guts out of the valve to screw it onto the last nipple.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Put a 90 on the riser. Take the baseboard off & reinstall or whatever you have to do then a close nipple (or longer) out of the 90 with a 45 (stay away from street 45s) into the radiator. Use a straight radiator valve.

If the height does not match up extend the riser higher with a coupling and put the rad on blocks

branimal

I used a 45 elbow plus a close nipple. I cheated the pipe forward with a shim and just barely nicked the baseboard.

Final valve height is 3 5/8". My rad center height is ~2 5/8". To shim, the plan is to cut a 1 1/2" dowel to the appropriate length allowing for a 1 1/2" felt pad underneath. I'll paint the dowel the same color as the radiator.

Thanks for all the ideas.

@JUGHNE The two 90 elbows idea would theoretically leave me with zero pitch back to the boiler. Would that cause water hammer, or would my rad being slightly pitched toward the boiler, be adequate slope to get the condensate back to the boiler?

JUGHNE

IDK about the lack of slope that close to the radiator.
Ed's idea of a 90 & 45 was better than my 2 90's.

Would a street 45 have gotten you closer to the height?
I don't like them just as Ed doesn't.

However it would also get you closer to the wall.

The issue with separate tall blocks under each leg is that the rad will "walk" back and forth with expansion and contraction. Two flat 2 x 6's would give it more "walking path".

Furniture coaster cups will want to stay in place pretty good also.
You can stack them for the high end.

Hap_Hazzard

Is the pipe sticking through the floor a short nipple or the end of a much longer pipe? If it's a nipple, you can make a bent nipple if you have a welder or a friend who can weld. See this discussion: https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/183654/how-to-bend-a-short-pipe-nipple

Big Ed_4

A elbow flat on it's side will puddle water inside the elbow

dopey27177

Cut the Base board and install the new valve. reinstall the base board.

What is most important aesthetically and operational is put the base board rad in at the floor level and tight against the wall.

Jake

SteamingatMohawk

At least, Jake agreed with me.