Vertical radiators are beautiful products with a modern design. It is ideal for any room that has limited wall space. Recently purchased a vertical radiator and wondering how to install it? Do not worry, as we have a step-by-step guide that will enable you to install your new product in just a few hours.
Hanging a vertical radiator is not as complicated as it looks and can be completed within a few hours with the necessary tools and instructions.
Here’s everything you need to know.
Before You Start: Important Things to Check
Don’t pick up a drill just yet. There are a few things to sort out first.
Check If You Need a Plumber
The rest of this project will involve pipes and water, so I strongly recommend that this work be carried out by a Gas Safe-registered heating engineer. However, I have managed to fit a few new radiators around the house, and this section covers the process of hanging the radiator on the wall, which should be within the capabilities of any confident DIYer.
Even for the more confident DIY’, this should be possible; it’s just a case of fixing the radiator to the wall.
Check Your Wall Type
This matters a lot. You need to know whether your wall is:
- Solid brick or block: strong and reliable for heavy radiators
- Stud wall (plasterboard): needs special fixings or noggins to support the weight
- Dot and dab plasterboard: trickier, needs careful fixing into the solid wall behind
Vertical radiators can be heavy. A water-filled steel radiator might weigh 20–30kg or more. Your fixings need to handle that.
Check Your Radiator Valve Position
Vertical radiators usually connect at the bottom. Make sure your pipework can reach the valve positions on your new radiator before you commit to a location on the wall.
What You’ll Need
Gather everything before you start. It saves a lot of back-and-forth.
- Vertical radiator and wall bracket kit (usually included)
- Pencil
- Spirit level
- Tape measure
- Power drill
- Correct drill bits for your wall type
- Wall plugs and screws (heavy duty)
- Adjustable spanner or wrench
- PTFE tape
- Bucket and old towels (for draining)
- A second pair of hands — radiators are awkward to hold alone
Step-by-Step: How to Hang a Vertical Radiator
Step 1: Choose Your Location
When installing a new vertical radiator, it is essential to ensure that it is working effectively from the existing pipework. Typically, this would be a wall space. The majority of installations for vertical radiators are completed in hallways, bathrooms, and living rooms, as these areas generally have ample wall space but limited floor space.
Check for hidden pipes, cables or gas lines behind the wall with a detector before drilling.
Step 2: Mark Up the Wall
Most vertical radiators come with a bracket template or a guide for measuring the radiator’s position in the wall. Follow the instructions provided in the packaging.
Hold the wall brackets against the wall and refer to the template or the measurement guide from the radiator’s instructions to mark the screw holes with a pencil. Make sure that the brackets are straight on the wall by using a spirit level. A small amount of lean will still be apparent when the radiator is mounted on the wall.
Double-check the measurements for your radiator. It’s an old saying, but it rings so true – measure twice, drill once!
Step 3: Drill and Fix the Brackets
Drill holes at the marked points. The right drill bit for the type of wall that you have will be needed. i.e. masonry bits for brickwork or wood bits for stud walls.
Insert the wall plugs in the holes that you have drilled and then screw the brackets into the wall using the screws provided. Ensure that the brackets are securely fixed to the wall by giving them a pull. Make sure that they feel solid and are not wobbly in any way. If they are wobbly in any way, then you need to investigate this before you will not be able to safely fix your radiator to the wall.
Step 4: Hang the Radiator
Having someone to lend a hand is really useful when it comes to vertical radiators; they can be quite tall and tricky to handle by yourself.
To get your radiator up on the wall, you’ll need to lift it and then either hook it or slide it onto the brackets – just make sure to follow the instructions that came with your specific model. The good thing is, most of these brackets have a locking mechanism that will keep your radiator nice and secure once it’s in place.
Take a step back and give it a once-over to make sure everything is lined up properly. Then, just to be extra sure, grab your spirit level and double-check that it’s straight as can be.
Step 5: Connect the Valves
If you’re not sure about the pipes, it’s best to get a professional to help with this part.
If you are doing it yourself:
- To get a good seal, you should wrap the PTFE tape around the threads of the valve several times – at least 5 or 6 times will do the trick.
- Hand-tighten the valve connections first.
- Tighten it firmly with a spanner, but be careful not to force it too much.
- Fit the bleed valve at the top of the radiator if your model requires one.
Step 6: Fill and Test
Give your heating system some time to get back to normal. When you first turn it on, check all the connections to the valve to make sure there aren’t any leaks or drips.
To get rid of air in your radiators, you’ll need to use a special key called a radiator bleed key. Start by opening the bleed valve really slowly. As soon as you see water coming out, you can close it right back up again. This helps get rid of any air that’s trapped inside.
Check for leaks again after 24 hours.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Not using a spirit level. Radiator not straight looks very bad and is a right pain to dry when full of water.
- Using the wrong fixings for your wall type. This is a safety issue, not just to look good.
- Skipping the PTFE tape. It’s so cheap to purchase and takes seconds to fit. Without it, you will have a leak.
- Trying to hang it alone. Get someone else to hold the radiator for you. This is far too dangerous to attempt on your own and risk dropping it and causing serious injury.
- Not bleeding the radiator after fitting. Trapped air stops it from heating properly.
Hanging a vertical radiator is a fantastic job to do when done correctly. Not only does it look fantastic in the room, it also brings warmth to the room as well.
Measuring out where the radiator brackets will go, placing them on the radiator and fixing the wall brackets for the radiator to hang off is very important so seek the help of a competent person (e.g. a plumber or central heating engineer) for the measuring and plumbing part of this job as this is likely to be out of your skills.
A well hung radiator will last you for years to come. A badly hung radiator will cause you problems from the off.
