reusing old radiator?

sweetie

am adding a new rad to my living room and have been given a double rad which is the size I require. It could be over ten years old but seems in good nick and also doesn't have the fins in between. I am obviously saving a few quid but is it a bad idea?

thanks

copper12

Ten years old; simple answer yes
If you are fitting the rad yourself; then get a new one
It may be only the paint that’s holding the old rad together; while it may look ok; it only needs a hole’ the size of a pinhead’ to ruin a carpet’ or timber floor

Avns1s

copper12 wrote: »

Ten years old; simple answer yes
If you are fitting the rad yourself; then get a new one
It may be only the paint that’s holding the old rad together; while it may look ok; it only needs a hole’ the size of a pinhead’ to ruin a carpet’ or timber floor

On the other hand it could be in absolutely perfect nick. It would be highly unusual to have to replace a rad in ten years or so because it's leaking.

I know plenty of houses where the rads are in place for close on 40 years and still going strong.



OP You have to make a call on this. If it looks in excellent shape and you give it a good flush through and if the person who gave it to you can confirm that there isn't an issue with rads on their system leaking, then I'd suggest you save yourself the cost of a new rad and use it.

311

Rads if not filled with water ,rot. Once they have been used and the oxidisation process starts ,you need to keep them filled with water.

Did a job for a charity organisation once ,that hadn't much money. They insisted on using the old radiators that were on the premises.
Niagra falls wouldn't have a patch on the place ,when they were filled with water:D

ART6

You could always do a pressure test on it -- fillit with water and pump it up a bit with a bicycle pump -- but not too much!

useeme

Im a plumber,

Several years ago a client insisted using old Runtal rads on his new heating system. The new boiler had a copper heat exchanger, which was the client specification. The old rads were in storage for a while and when connected to the sytem the dried up sludge travelled around the system and clogged up the heat exchanger resulting in kettling.

After a few years heat exchanger leaked, safety valve passed and expansion vessel failed.

More economical to replace the boiler rather than repair.

You have been warned.

311

General Motors wrote: »

Im a plumber,

Several years ago a client insisted using old Runtal rads on his new heating system. The new boiler had a copper heat exchanger, which was the client specification. The old rads were in storage for a while and when connected to the sytem the dried up sludge travelled around the system and clogged up the heat exchanger resulting in kettling.

After a few years heat exchanger leaked, safety valve passed and expansion vessel failed.

More economical to replace the boiler rather than repair.

You have been warned.

Your suppose to clean a system out when you put in a new boiler ,so that problem never happens:D
The thread is about radiators anyways.