I have some cast iron radiators in my home, which is over a century old, and I'm thinking of taking them out to refinish them and fix up the wallpaper behind. I've seen a lot of warnings about removing a hot water radiator that isn't leaking. Is it really that risky if I hire a plumber to do the work for me?
3 Answers
The main risk with removing a radiator lies in unexpected problems popping up. You might have to deal with re-plumbing or fixing up anything that’s not up to code or has corrosion issues. Just be cautious!
It’s tough to say for sure. Removing a radiator can go smoothly or turn into a whole mess. If you take it out, you might break some fittings or dislodge gunk that could lead to leaks. Be prepared for possible plumbing expenses if things go sideways!
Honestly, it’s not as scary as it seems. A plumber will come, drain your system, and cap the lines where the radiator was. They’ll even take care of cleaning it out or repainting if needed. Once your wall is done, they just hook it back up again and refill the system. If you monitor for leaks after, you should be fine! I did it in my old house without any leaks at all.
Is it the same for hot water radiators as steam radiators? Most people seem really against removing hot water types!
What would the costs look like if I did need to fix just one radiator? I'm okay with covering repairs in the long run, but I also don’t want to be stuck with an endless headache!