“Height” of modern radiator valves vs old?

It looks as though he didn’t purchase the correct size radiator valve although the nipples going into the radiator looks much smaller.
Can you take another picture further to the right and closer to the radiator that shows the pipe going into to the radiator. And another picture of a radiator valve that has not been altered.

I think if he got the correct fittings and valve it should go together.

You also could repack the old valve and use that.

Repacking is fully reliable if the valve seat is in good shape.

Most valves that are different manufactures or series are slightly different dimensions. If you replace the valve you are likely to need to make some adjustments. Regasketing the old valve eliminates this problem.

Sloppy.

It really looks like he got a 1 1/4 valve and had to adapt it to an 1 1/2 riser. Even if there was no alternative I hope he or someone is coming back to replace those flooring pieces.

Just an observation, but the Original poster could have just "repacked " the original valve as previously suggested and not have what looks like a Practical Joke Installation - smh Sadly, I doubt the plumber left the old valve behind?

Regards,

RTW

Do you still have the old valve? As long as the spud isn't trashed you can just rebuild it and put it back on.

He used the wrong valve. They come in every size from 1/2" to 2" and in angle (what you have) and straight. He could have made this work without raising the radiator.

Here is the valve he probably should have used, assuming that is a 1-1/2" supply.

Here are the dimensions. I bet if you compare it to your old one it is close enough to call exact.

@Long Beach Ed Ooh! Who makes nickel plated steam radiator valves? 😍

I think castrads makes them too, granted at castrads prices—actually looking at their web site they're pretty reasonable for something that specialized.

Or you could just paint them.

Don't pick on the plumber too much. But he could have done a better job.

I have been in that spot myself and replaced a valve on the second floor of a school and it was a 2-pipe system so I had to raise the rad and recipe both ends and the piping under the floor had no movement

The valve I had was short compared to the old one. The old valve was corroded from leaking for eons.

So the rad had to go up.

In my case the rad was covered by a radiator enclosure so the blocking couldn't be seen.

Now if you want to pay your plumber to drive around or get on the phone with every supply house in the city your going to pay for that

There are no standards in valve dimensions, just like steam traps they are all different

If you install a new valve and it is shorter than the old valve you only have 2 choices. Raise the pipe. If you cant raise the pipe than the radiator has to go up on blocks and you make up the height difference up with a coupling or a male x female coupling

We all know most of the new valve are more cheaply made and are different dimensions than the old valves. In addition some are more for hot water than they are for steam.

That being said he could have used something more attractive to set the rads on

Get some wood that matches your floorboards and stain it to match . You can easily pull out what is there and replace it

I took a deep dive trying to find valves of the proper height to replace mine, and struck out. And I cut my old ones off rather than start heaving on the 100+ year old piping and finding out what breaks. So rebuilding them isn't an option. What makes it even more fun is previous owners who laid hardwood simply drilled holes in it for the rad feet! It amazes me that after so much time no one has invented a vertically adjustable valve, perhaps something like a copper compression fitting, or 2" of non-tapering F thread on the valve and matching M on an adapter.

I've cut feet, and it's a PITA. I've also turned custom 2" gray PVC riser disks that look a **** of a lot better than random chunks of wood. Note I have the same extension, I would have had to cut a LOT off the feet to make this work without.

I don't recall precisely, like 3/8 of an inch. You could probably achieve something close with a 2-in hole saw & a stack of various thickness plywood. Create the thickness you need, stack and glue them together, and then sand & paint it.

I can see that, but that wasn't what we saw in the OP picture! I had one small rad where I made a nice wooden box for it to stand on, painted the same color as the trim.

Then of course there is this classic if you have the room to push the radiator over, the 45 to 45 ell. In this case with an extra vent because it's at the top of the run.