How to fix a radiator falling off the wall

Kids are great, aren't they? After mine managed to pull a radiator off the wall, I filmed the repair so you can see how to fix a radiator that's come off the wall yourself, as a DIYer.

If water is leaking right now

If you're watching this in an emergency with water pouring out: catch it. A central heating system is a closed loop, not connected to the mains, so it will stop. A baking tray slides nicely under the valves. Be aware that if you have a combi boiler, draining the system will also stop your hot water.

The fix at a glance

1. Switch the boiler off and let the heating cool down.
2. Close the valves either side of the radiator and put a tray underneath.
3. Undo the radiator nuts and open the bleed valve to drain it, with someone supporting the radiator.
4. Lift the radiator off and refix the loose brackets, using bigger wall plugs if the holes have worn.
5. Rehang the radiator, ease the pipes into place and tighten the nuts.
6. Open the valves, add inhibitor if you want to, and refill the system to the middle of the pressure gauge.
7. Bleed the radiator, run the heating and check the joints for leaks.

Draining and removing the radiator

Start by switching the boiler off, and make sure the heating has been off long enough that you're not draining scalding water. If you can isolate the radiator by closing the valves on either side, you only have to drain that one radiator rather than the whole house. Undo the nuts on the radiator side, then open the bleed valve at the top to let air in so it empties fully. Remember that with the wall brackets ripped out, the pipes are the only thing holding it up. I wedged it with a chair and manhandled it, but a second person to hold it while you disconnect makes life much easier.

Why the brackets pulled out, and the fix

With the radiator off, the cause was obvious: the wall plugs were loose in holes that were too big. I wanted to reuse the same holes so the pipework would still line up, so I opened them up slightly and fitted larger wall plugs. The screws only start biting halfway down the plug anyway, so there was no loss of grip, and the brackets ended up solid.

Rehanging the radiator

While it was off I stuck some spare radiator reflector foil to the wall with spray contact adhesive. It's optional, but it's meant to reflect heat back into the room. Rehanging a heavy radiator is awkward, especially with stiff pipework. Unclipping the end covers gives you a better grip, and you may need to gently ease the pipes into place as it drops onto the brackets.

Refilling and repressurising the system

Reconnect the nuts, open the valves and listen for air rushing out of the bleed valve. I also added a bottle of inhibitor through my magnetic filter's reservoir. Then refill the system at the boiler to the middle of the pressure gauge, with someone at the radiator to close the bleed valve when water appears. Run the heating to check everything works, and tie tissue around any joints you've touched: it's an easy way to spot slow drips that need tightening.

I'm not a plumber, so if you are and you'd do it differently, I'd love to hear how.