Are you looking to purchase new vertical radiators, but need to know how it’ll affect your pipework first?
If you’re switching from standard, wide panel radiators to fancy new vertical ones, you might already have an idea that your pipework will most likely need to be altered, even if only due to the size differences between your new and old radiators.
So, what are the biggest factors to consider when factoring in your pipework to this equation?
As an experienced heating engineer who’s fitted many vertical radiators in the Edinburgh area, I’m going to explain more about this below – as the answer really comes in four parts.
Will your pipework need to be upgraded?
So, as I mentioned above, there’s four parts to this answer. The first is this: If your existing radiators are piped in using a very small 8mm pipe, aesthetically it can look wrong when fitted to vertical or column radiators. The best way to put it? It looks inadequate.
Secondly, with an 8mm pipe, you can only get so much kW of heat down it, so you may have to upgrade the pipe if you want your radiator to get toasty hot and work efficiently.
Thirdly, the most obvious point is that the pipework will have to be altered as the radiator will be a different size to the one you have currently, and therefore won’t fit in the same space as your last radiator.
Finally, the other thing we find is that some customers not only wish for the pipework to be the larger 15mm size, but they also want chrome pipework coming from the floor to the radiator. With reference to upgrading further distances, it requires a visit to access the existing pipe and what distance it travels from the boiler.
This can cause a problem if where there were only one or two radiators before, and there are now two or three needed to get that same heat output.
How much extra can new pipework cost?
It’s difficult to say on this one, as no two jobs are ever the same. Without conducting a home visit, I’m unable to see your existing setup, your choice of radiators, and how much of your pipework requires an upgrade.
However, what I can do is give you an average price range. Upgrading your pipework to match your new, vertical radiators can add an extra £200 – £300 onto a job – and since in most cases this is a necessity, you will need to factor this into your budget.
TIP: If you have tiled, solid wood or sheet flooring, it can be a lot more time-consuming and expensive to upgrade your pipework.
Advice from an experienced heating engineer
The best advice I can give you is to thoroughly do your homework on radiator outputs. Ask your local engineer for advice, and lift the carpet to see what type of flooring is underneath.
Most customers think if they remove a standard panel radiator that’s 600mm high x 1800mm wide, all they need to do is fit a 1800mm high x 600mm wide. Unfortunately this is not the cast, as a vertical radiator will not give the same convection, so will have a lower heat output by up to 20%. This is why you may need to fit two vertical radiators.
I recently had a client who had a 600mm high x 1800mm wide radiator in their home. In the end, we fitted two radiators at 1800mm high x 400mm wide to provide the heat required. She doubted this slightly – that is, until I showed her the heat loss calculations!
And with the difference in dimensions, it’s fairly obvious why alterations and upgraded pipework is necessary.
Conclusion
Hope I’ve managed to clue you in on upgrading your pipework when getting new vertical radiators for your home. Most homeowners will need an upgrade to their pipework when getting vertical radiators, because of all of the reasons I mentioned above. Which is why you should really factor in around £200 – £300 to your budget.
And ensure your engineer factors the extra work into their quote!
Do you have any questions about upgrading your pipework with new vertical radiators? Let me know in the comments. I’ll be here to help!
