If you want the replace the radiator in your home with a more efficient convector heater, you may be thinking it is not a job that you can do yourself. However, replacing an old radiator is much easier than you might think. It will take you a few hours to complete the job. However, you will save a ton of money on installation labor, and the pride you will feel in doing the job yourself is priceless.

To remove the old steam radiator, you may need to remove bolts from the mounting brackets that are attached to the floor for some units. With others, they may simply be standing in place. Move the old steam radiator aside so that you can install the new convector heater.

Mark positions for the plumbing pipes. To do this, you need to temporarily mount the convector  infrared heater on the bracket. Then, use a pencil to draw a circle on the floor around the bottom of the inlet pipe on the heating element. Remove the heating element, and use an appropriate size drill bit to drill a hole through the floor. Make sure the hole is at least half an inch away from the wall.

Install the dielectric union on the main water inlet pipe that was used on the old steam radiator. Then, install a short piece of copper pipe into the dialectric union that will be used to connect the new convector heater. Use pipe dope on the dielectric union coupling with the old water pipe.

Follow the directions that come with your convector heater for mounting the heating element on the bracket. You will then need to sweat the copper to the coupler and pipe that runs from the dielectric union. Sweating copper basically involves heating the pipe with a torch and using solder flux to fill the joints.

Go to your steam boiler and turn the water pressure back on. The new convector electric fireplace heater is now ready for use.