Tiling behind a radiator
When re-tiling a bathroom you often have the problem of tiling behind a radiator. There is only one way to do this, which is to remove the radiator, tile and grout and then replace the radiator. This sounds simple, but often removing and replacing the radiator can be a time consuming step especially for DIY enthusiasts. The steps required are:
- Turn the manual valve clockwise to close it.
- Close off the lockshield valve by turning clockwise using a suitable spanner.
- If you are lucky enough to have a drain off valve , then place a bowl underneath and undo the valve to empty the radiator. Ensure the bowl is large enough!
- If, as is more common, there is no drain off valve then you will need to remove one of the union nuts. Before doing thus if there is a valuable carpet underneath you should roll this back or protect it with several layers of cloth and paper, and a bowl to catch the water, After undo the union nuts the water will drain out.
- You need to open the bleed valve so the water can be replaced with air, and .this will make the water drain our faster.
- When the radiator is empty you can undo the two union nuts that are fastened to the radiator, being careful not to damage the water pipes.
- Thermostatic valves should be capped, as these are prone to leaking.
- Reposition the bowl to catch any more water, an remove the other union nut.
- The radiator can now be lifted up and removed from its wall brackets.
You can now start the wall tiling process, and more detail on this can be found on the Crown Tiles website on the ‘Wall tiling tips’ page. Crown Tiles also supply floor tiles.
Published on 09/03/2011
