Adhesive/glue for wall screw and radiator bracket problem ...... ?

[Rollerball]

Here's a weird question.

The radiator in my lounge has the usual two vertical brackets on the wall that it hangs on. However the top screw on the left bracket has been partly ripped out and I'm looking for a way to 'glue' it back in without going to the big hassle of removing the radiator or the expense of calling in a plumber to do the job.

It's not a big deal as it is, the remaining screw in the left bracket and the bracket on the right are holding it in place okay, but I'd like to fix the minor in/out movement the radiator now has on the left side if I happen to pull on it for any reason.

This happened because for many year the top of the couch has been pushed up against the left side of the radiator, so over the years as the couch has had people sit in it there's been minor pressure applied to the radiator and the left bracket. I can see that the screw is now at and angle and is doing very little, a small piece of plaster is also breaking off.

So is there any kind of strong adhesive that I can apply to the area of the screw and bracket just to hold it firmer and prevent any movement?

I know this is far from an ideal solution but money is tight and I lack the skills to remove the radiator, etc.

 

[flameport]

Adhesive will do nothing, as at absolute best it would only glue the screw or bracket to the surface of the wall.
A proper repair will require that the radiator and bracket is removed, and the existing hole either filled with resin, or another hole drilled and used instead.

There are ways of removing a radiator from the wall temporarily without draining any water out, and even if draining was required it should only be the water in the radiator itself, not the entire system. It's a far easier and quicker job than you think it is.

 

[Rollerball]

Thanks. Let's say that I somehow manage to remove the radiator, what kind of resin would be used to fill the existing hole (which would then be re-drilled)?

This radiator was installed about 20 years ago so it's an old one and hasn't been removed since then, what's the method of removing it without draining out the water?

 

[JohnD]

How big is the hole?

If you close the valves at each end of the radiator, you only need to lose the water inside the radiator itself not the rest if the system.

The radiator water will permanently stain flooring, carpets, wallpaper etc.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Thanks. Let's say that I somehow manage to remove the radiator, what kind of resin would be used to fill the existing hole (which would then be re-drilled)?

Car body filler works well, to fill most holes, if you force it well into the hole. Once set, a matter of minutes, you can drill it for the screw using either a plug or just the screw.

 

[Deleted member 292770]

You don’t need to fix the hole. use one of the other holes in the bracket or drill your own.

 

[Rollerball]

Thanks all for the advice. It's hard to say for sure how big the hole is without removing the radiator but I don't believe it's much more than the diameter of the screw.

I'll have to look into how to remove the radiator or just leave it until I've saved up enough pennies to get in a plumber to remove it and sort out the bracket.

 

[JohnD]

Isn't there a plasplug?

What is the wall made of?

It wasn't just hung on plasterboard, was it?

 

[Rollerball]

I believe it's just a standard breeze block wall, so what's presumably happened is that the screw has been pulled out of the plasplug (or whatever was used). Certainly a small portion of plaster has also been broken at the very edges of the bracket near the screw.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

GripFill a new plug into the hole. Let it set (a couple of days in the current cold snap), then put a new screw in? Awkward to do if you can't get the rad off, though

 

[foxhole]

You can turn off valves either end , open bleed valve to release any pressure then retighten , then provided there is a little slack on the pipe work, loosen the main rad nut either end( just 1/2 turn) which allows you to lift rad 10mm to clear the bracket and rotate rad slowly forward to horizontal position and support with timber or even a brick .
This gives clear access to bracket , no need to remove you can drill one of the other fixing points ( rad brackets have several) with 6mm bit and install 6mm plug and large head screw . You should be able to do this thru the holes in the bracket .
You can then lift the rad slowly back into place , secure nuts and open valve having only lost the pressure from the rad . Towel under each end catches any minor dribble .(have done a few this way without any problem) Also useful for decorating down behind rads.

 

[Rollerball]

Thanks very much, that doesn't sound too bad.