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How are cast iron radiators moved? Hard to take apart and reassemble?

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eclecticmn
eclecticmn Member Posts: 121
in Solar
So ....
I found a free cast iron radiator on local craigslist, for free. 19 in high, 13 in wide, and 5 1/3 feet long. I hired 2 movers who arrived on site and learned they could not move it. I did not have to pay. Lesson learned.
I recently found one cheap on craigslist and do not know the exact dimensions yet. 26 inches high. 21 sections, column type? Maybe 9 in wide? How many people needed to move? How heavy?
https://minneapolis.craigslist.org/hnp/mat/d/minneapolis-cast-iron-radiators/7406741299.html


The seller had to leave town but said they could be taken apart. They do not appear to have threaded rods from the single photo available.

Ideally, the radiator would be 19 in high and around 5 feet long. Width can be varied. Maybe 9 in wide. Yes I know that the heat would vary also.

For perhaps long term interest, I have some questions. Also, I recently learned of electric stair climbers.
1. How do people move these monsters? Who do they hire? How many men to move a 5 foot long under window radiator?
2. How hard is it to take apart and reassemble a cast iron radiator? Is that what professionals do?
3. I see that threaded rod radiators look doable. I see that other radiators require a special long rod expensive tool. Any comments?

Right now I am moving forward with buying 2 used, cheap, 26 in high, 9 in wide cast iron radiators to take the chill off the kitchen. They are not ideal but at least they can be moved.
Home owner near Minneapolis with cast iron radiators, one non working slant fin now ripped out, and hot water heat.

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  • PC7060
    PC7060 Member Posts: 1,159
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    Don’t take apart. I hired movers to move 13 radiators in and out for sandblasting and powder coating.  Two guys moved the units out of house using the two person carry strap system and into truck. 3rd guy packed and strapped in truck. 
  • eclecticmn
    eclecticmn Member Posts: 121
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    How big were the radiators compared to the ones at the craigslist link?
    Home owner near Minneapolis with cast iron radiators, one non working slant fin now ripped out, and hot water heat.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,061
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    Do you have steam or hot water?
    Not all radiators will work with hot water systems.
  • eclecticmn
    eclecticmn Member Posts: 121
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    Hot water. I know barely enough to look for the one pipe radiators but I thought that even they could be converted to hot water use.
    Home owner near Minneapolis with cast iron radiators, one non working slant fin now ripped out, and hot water heat.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,061
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    Hot water radiators must have a connection, of all the sections, across the top in addition to the bottom.

    They have a tapping for a manual air vent up high on one end.
    Very necessary to be able to bleed air from the top of the entire radiator.

    You can not do this with the older column type rads...they are not connected across the top.
    Alan (California Radiant) Forbes
  • eclecticmn
    eclecticmn Member Posts: 121
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    You can not do this with the older column type rads...they are not connected across the top.
    Thank you for that.
    Home owner near Minneapolis with cast iron radiators, one non working slant fin now ripped out, and hot water heat.
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,376
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    The radiators must be connected across the top and bottom for hot water. Those connected only across the bottom are for steam only.

     The problem is that the ones connected at both the top and bottom can be used for both steam and hot water. If they’ve been on steam for the last 100 years, they’ve been operating at 2 psi or less. They may leak if subjected to the higher pressure of a hot water system.

    If they’ve been on steam, they should be pressure tested and have the vent tap re-located to the top. They’ll also need new valves and radiator Ells along with their spuds sized to your piping.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
  • PC7060
    PC7060 Member Posts: 1,159
    edited November 2021
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    Those are big. 
    My two biggest were about the same height and depth.  One was 21 sections 55”, the other was 27 sections 67”.  I think we use a 4 wheel dolly and rolled the into truck.  We had a ramp between the bed of truck and house.  
    Also you may need to put down 1/8” mdf to protect floor; my 3/4 oak didn’t have a problem but the maple upstairs was more easily marked. 
  • PC7060
    PC7060 Member Posts: 1,159
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    You can pressure test the units by removing the spuds and capping one end and threading  mpt pipe into other.  You can buy a 3/4 hose to 3/4 pipe thread adapter to connect to hose. 
  • eclecticmn
    eclecticmn Member Posts: 121
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    PC7060: How many people did it take to move?
    I will remember to lay down wood in the living room.
    I already laid down plywood over the porch wood because it is spongy in parts and I recently fell through up to my knee in a spot with little support.
    Home owner near Minneapolis with cast iron radiators, one non working slant fin now ripped out, and hot water heat.
  • PC7060
    PC7060 Member Posts: 1,159
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    Same two guys plus load master in truck.  
    Yikes, the state of the porch is worrisome, is the underlying joist structure ok?
  • eclecticmn
    eclecticmn Member Posts: 121
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    The underlying joists are OK. There are 1x4 or 1x6s criss crossed by so called porchwood, T&G. I stepped on a spot with no 1x4s near the outside that had been wet.
    Home owner near Minneapolis with cast iron radiators, one non working slant fin now ripped out, and hot water heat.
    PC7060
  • NoelAnderson
    NoelAnderson Member Posts: 49
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    You can also look for companies that move gun safes to move the radiators for you.
    PC7060
  • eclecticmn
    eclecticmn Member Posts: 121
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    Thank you. I just searched on craigslist and found one mover that listed that.
    Home owner near Minneapolis with cast iron radiators, one non working slant fin now ripped out, and hot water heat.
    PC7060

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