Radiator coming off wall.

[ebu79]

Hi,

Sorry if this is in the wrong section.

The previous owners of my house installed new radiators, however the one in the living room appears to be too heavy and is pulling away from the wall.

Any idea how to shore it up?

Thanks!

 

[JohnD]

it will be the fixing into the wall that is at fault.

what is the wall made of?

 

[ebu79]

The couple that owned the house done everything on the cheap and cheerful financial plan.

What has happened is that they knocked a wall down, making the living room and a siting room into one big room, so they have obviously just added in one massive radiator to heat the 2 rooms.

It is the fittings that are pulling out and the wall is made of plaster, with brick behind (its the wall at the front of the house), the radiator is situated right below a long window.

 

[seco services]

maybe be the screws or rawplugs they have used are not up to the job of that size rad.
you'll have to remove the rad to fit better bracket bolts.

 

[JohnD]

if you are sure it is plastered brick it will be very easy.

you will have to close the valves at both ends of the radator and make sure it is then free of pressure by opening the bleed vent. If nothing squirts out you can then undo the rad valve connections to the rad, catch the water that dribbles out, lift it off and turn it upside down

remove or cover the carpet first

you will see steel brackets fixed to the wall. they have lots of screw holes. Mark all the holes, then take the brackets off. drill the wall in new and solid places , push in plasplugs (tap them slightly below the surface) screw brackets back on, re-hang radiator, reconnect. Two good screws per bracket will do it but you can use 3 if you like. Ignore the loose ones.

the most likely cause of prob is:

holes too big and loose

plugs too small

screws too small or too short.

you can use 45mm x 4mm round-head screws and brown plugs and a 5.5mm or 6mm masonry drill. If the wall is soft and crumbly use the smaller drill as the holes will be loose.

 

[ebu79]

Thats fantastic, thanks for all your help, I'll give it a go over the next few weeks!

 

[Redhotferrari]

advice for repairing spot on, maybe a little over cautious, but if it was me and you are not doing it for a few weeks I would close the valves and drain the rad out sooner rather than later.

God forbid it does come away from the wall more than it is in the middle of the night or when you are all out A nice wet floor is not what the doctor ordered!!!

 

[Agile]

you can use 45mm x 4mm round-head screws and brown plugs and a 5.5mm or 6mm masonry drill.

Be aware that JohnD is a DIYer!

I would never use any screw shorter than 50mm for securing a radiator in an ideal situation.

Where a radiator has come away from a wall I would use 75 mm or 80 mm screws to ensure it would never happen again.

When I am charging proper commercial rates I have to ensure that I fix the problem or my reputation would be sullied.

I can only use the best!

Tony Glazier

 

[JohnD]

that's interesting

with the longer screw, would you drive the plug deeper into the wall, or what?

 

[heatingman]

Minimum 2" x 10 to hold rads, soft/dodgy wall or thick plaster longer screw & plug

 

[grahamderek]

Never less than 2 1/2"x 10 screws, and never less than 3 per bracket. 2 at the top and at least one at the bottom( top are under tension, bottom is in shear). When I put a radiator on the wall, I know it will stay there even when someone stumbles and grabs it, or little junior goes mountaineering.
If the current holes are unusable, some makes of bracket can be turned upside down to move the holes sideways, and most radiator brackets span more than one section, so move the holes as far away from original as possible keeping the radiator in the same place.
But, since this is under a window, it is also possible that the bricks are loose, and need relaying. (worst case scenario, and still not a huge job)

 

[JohnD]

any advance on 2 1/2" x 10?

 

[Agile]

that's interesting

with the longer screw, would you drive the plug deeper into the wall, or what?

It al depends on the wall condition but assuming that 60 mm in its a brick or block I usually use window frame fixings as they are cheap and convenient and I have about 60,000 in stock of varying lengths.

Its difficult to find long wall plugs. But sometimes I use two in series or often just drive a 50 mm plug deep into the wall if its the kind that expands a lot but thats why frame ties are so good.

Tony