Do you need to replace cast iron radiators with new ones? It's easy and fast

New plate heaters (radiators) do not require a high investment. So if the current radiators are reaching the end of their useful life or you just need to replace them for modernization reasons, plate radiators are the clear choice for most people when replacing them.

Modern radiators can be easily combined with all heat sources, including heat pumps and gas condensing boilers. Thanks to their design, plate radiators contain a smaller amount of water and can thus respond more flexibly to changes in room temperatures. In this way, there is no unnecessary overheating of the room and, as a result, wasted energy.

"An experienced company can replace four classic Radik radiators in about five hours, and the entire operation is done without demolition, cutting and welding. The advantage is that the new radiators have the same connection spacing as the original radiators, i.e. 50 centimeters, so we can use the existing wiring," says Martin Preclík from the Korado company, which provides comprehensive solutions for heating.

When is the right time to replace a radiator

If you have been using radiators for decades and now you find that they are rusted and you discover damp spots on the ground, it is time to replace them. If a defect occurs in one radiator, it is likely that all of them are at the end of their service life. Since the implementation work is easy and does not take a lot of time, you can proceed to replace the radiator at any time when it does not heat up (how to exceptionally solve this even in the heating season using freezing, read here).

In the case of simply replacing the old one with a new one, choosing a radiator is simple. You need to know the dimensions and then the number of fins of the radiator that will be replaced. In the table (see image in the gallery) you can easily find the existing radiator and the corresponding plate radiators.

“If you are not sure, there is nothing easier than to contact a specialist. If you change the heating elements in the entire apartment and you live in a block of flats, this should not have any effect on the overall heating system in the house. That is, on the assumption that the new bodies will have the same performance as the original ones," says Preclík.

However, it is always good, and sometimes even necessary, to consult the exchange of radiators with the Association of unit owners, the cooperative or the operator of the boiler room. In any case, it is nothing complicated. Some bodies are directly intended for reconstruction, so their installation is very simple.

Step-by-step replacement

1. First you need to drain the water, either from the entire heating system or just from the riser, which will be easier especially in panel houses. If your neighbor does not allow you to do this, there is a special freezing system for these cases.

This allows you to replace the radiator without having to drain the water from the heating system. Just put the freezing sleeves on the radiator pipes and then freeze the water.

2. As soon as the water has been drained or frozen, we can proceed to the dismantling of the old radiator, which is not a complicated operation. We start by unscrewing the side connection to the distribution of the heating system, which we have on the left or right side.

Then remove the radiator from the wall and put it aside. In the next step, we will remove the original steel hinges on which the old radiator was attached. For cutting solid metal, it is possible to use, for example, a vibrating or reciprocating saw. Their advantage over disc sanders is a significantly cleaner workspace.

3. It is advisable to plaster or plaster the exposed wall to a level and then paint it. After all, we are in a phase where we have ideal conditions to get comfortably behind the radiator, so it is practical to take advantage of it.

4. Then comes the installation of the new radiator itself, which consists of placing the supporting elements (console) of the radiator on the wall and then re-connecting it to the heating system via the original wiring. Finally, fill the new radiator with water and properly vent it.