Threading Pipe in Close Quarters?

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Lovegasoline

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Greetings,
I have a question regarding a steam radiator installation.

I live in a 85 year old building in NYC in which the entire plumbing piping in this room was redone just a few years ago. The radiator recently started leaking and the plumber informed me that the old cast iron radiator had a crack underneath, so he replaced it with a new radiator. I was not at home during the installation. The new radiator is at least twice as small as the original 1920s one and has different dimensions and height.

I'm unpleased with the installation. The new radiator does not sit on the ground but is suspended in the air, because the plumber neglected to alter the height of the feed pipe (see pics). Instead, he used pieces of wood and bricks as a quick and dirty method to adjust the height of the new radiator so he could connect it to the pipe.

I had the plumber return to change the pipe height and do a correct installation (this time the owner of the plumbing company came; the guy that did the actual original work was one of his workers). He informed me that it is not possible to cut the pipe shorter and rethread it due to limited space to put a threading machine on it. He said the only way to shorten the pipe would be to rip up the floor and swap out the pipe section for a shorter pipe. I'm not a plumber, I'm not very experienced with pipe threading, but it seems to me a plumber could cut of the feed pipe and thread it in the available space.

I took measurements of the area the pipe is at:
-looking from above, there's approx. 7.5" from the wall to the pipe center.
-there's 3.5" from the wood floor to the bottom of the lowest threaded nut on the pipe.

Question:
Can the experienced plumbers out there please inform me if this installation can be corrected in a 'routine' manner by cutting/threading the pipe in the space provided?
Am I right that this is a shoddy installation?

I do not want to have the floor torn apart as it's relatively new solid parquet wood and was very expensive. The plumber is clueless about floors (he says the floor is not tongue and groove which shows his ignorance, and I would't dare let him touch the floor in any way).

Thanks a bunch for your expertise!
-Lovegsoline

W. Rm. Radiator 2 copy.jpg

West Room Radiator 2 copy.jpg

IMG_2774 copy.jpg
 
A black iron pipe could not be cut/threaded in that space. However, I don't see why that nipple couldn't be threaded out of the elbow below the floor, and a new one measured and put in its place. I believe it's possible as long as its possible to drain the system so it doesn't make a mess when the nipple is unthreaded.

That being said, maybe the plumbers on site can see an issue I cant from Canada. Just going by the pictures you provided

In conclusion, that install looks like **** and unprofessionally done. That radiator is an accident waiting to happen being suspended in air like that, and the exposed loose teflon tape makes me want to gauge my eyes out
 
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Thanks for the reply.

To get the terminology clear, is the nipple is the short vertical pipe section coming out of the floor?

The plumbers are unlicensed, nobody in the company holds a plumbing license. (I didn't hire them...I'm a long term tenant in an apartment and the owner sent these guys. I live in NYC. where both a licensed plumber and a permit issued from the Dept. of Building is required for plumbing repairs/installations, although I don't know if simply bolting on a new radiator requires a license/permit.)

I want a better understanding of the job so I can approach the owner to redo it in a workmanlike manner.

Curious, are there no electric threading machines or other tools that can cut threads in that space?
 
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No machine that I have ever saw will work in that space. I never claim to have seen everything though. So to my knowledge, no.

And yes, the nipple is the verticle pipe, sorry. Just habit of calling it that.
 
A black iron pipe could not be cut/threaded in that space. However, I don't see why that nipple couldn't be threaded out of the elbow below the floor, and a new one measured and put in its place. I believe it's possible as long as its possible to drain the system so it doesn't make a mess when the nipple is unthreaded.

That being said, maybe the plumbers on site can see an issue I cant from Canada. Just going by the pictures you provided

In conclusion, that install looks like **** and unprofessionally done. That radiator is an accident waiting to happen being suspended in air like that, and the exposed loose teflon tape makes me want to gauge my eyes out

That is a one pipe steam system. As long as the system is off there shouldn't be any water in the pipe.
 
I didn't notice it was a steam system. Either way, I've honestly never worked with steam. So thanks John for pointing that out about the pressure. It would seem that makes things easier to replace the pipe.
 
I didn't notice it was a steam system. Either way, I've honestly never worked with steam. So thanks John for pointing that out about the pressure. It would seem that makes things easier to replace the pipe.

It makes it easier but it will not be easy to get that nipple out. Steam tends to bake the nipple in. The brass valve will come off easy but when trying to remove the 1-1/2 nipple I suggest putting something inside the nipple to prevent it from collapsing. If I remember correctly the handle of a 2' pipe wrench works good.
 
I'm don't know much about steam radiators but Frodo suggestion sounds good.
If you damage the nipple trying to remove it or the fitting below moves out of alignment with the hole in the floor you just might be getting yourself into more trouble. Is the pipe below the floor accessible??
 
the problem your plumber is seeing..the nipple thru the floor, if he tries to remove the nipple to replace it with a shorter nipple

1 of 2 things will happen,
!, the nipple comes out with no problems, zip zap, 5 minute switch out

2. he tries to take the nipple out, and a swing joint under the floor decides to make your life miserable
and he has to cut a hole in the floor to get a "back up" wrench on the pipe.

so,,what do we have? the choice is actually yours.
throw the dice, take a gamble. easy peasey japaneasy or are YOU willing to pay them the 3 or 4 hours to cut the floor?
if things go south?

or patch the ceiling in the room below
 
Greetings,
I have a question regarding a steam radiator installation.

The radiator recently started leaking and the plumber informed me that the old cast iron radiator had a crack underneath, so he replaced it with a new radiator. I was not at home during the installation.
-Lovegsoline


show me the crack, would have been my answer.
 
I'm don't know much about steam radiators but Frodo suggestion sounds good.
If you damage the nipple trying to remove it or the fitting below moves out of alignment with the hole in the floor you just might be getting yourself into more trouble. Is the pipe below the floor accessible??

Yes.
There's an apartment below so access to the nipple requires cutting out a section of the sheetrock from that apartment's ceiling, doing the plumbing repair, and replacing the sheetrock. That's standard operating procedure for this building.
 
show me the crack, would have been my answer.

Agreed.

I very carefully inspect what workers are doing because of a history of the owner(s) in paying substandard workers to perform unsatisfactory, illegal (in NYC), or downright dangerous repairs. A few years back mine and several other apartments' floor/ceiling beams had to be replaced because they were completely rotted through due to chronic leaks. This entailed demo'ing many rooms, replacing beams, and rebuilding everything. The current owner is a disbarred attorney.

However, in this instance I was unfortunately out of town when the leak/repair occurred.
 
the problem your plumber is seeing..the nipple thru the floor, if he tries to remove the nipple to replace it with a shorter nipple

1 of 2 things will happen,
!, the nipple comes out with no problems, zip zap, 5 minute switch out

2. he tries to take the nipple out, and a swing joint under the floor decides to make your life miserable
and he has to cut a hole in the floor to get a "back up" wrench on the pipe.

so,,what do we have? the choice is actually yours.
throw the dice, take a gamble. easy peasey japaneasy or are YOU willing to pay them the 3 or 4 hours to cut the floor?
if things go south?

or patch the ceiling in the room below


Maintenance is included in the rent.
The owner will need to make the repair and in this instance it will likely mean going through the ceiling below, if it comes to that.

The other issue is if this radiator installation is up to NYC plumbing code.

As I previously mentioned, the plumbing system and all branch pipes on that line were completely rebuilt from scratch (except for the heat risers) about 5 years ago. The job also included replacement of structural beams, subfloor, floor, walls, ceilings, bathrooms.
 
a radiator in the air not supported. It is not installed as per manufactures instructions, And is therefore not installed correctly

all he has to do is put a box under it to be legal.

unless you can find the instalation instructions on line, that states it must sit on the floor


google make and model,,,find out what sq footage that model is rated for

then measure the area it is supposed to be heating..
 
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I'm eliminating my incorrect suggestion to avoid any confusion from visitors looking for advice. See post to Frodo below.
 
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Nice catch Frodo. I just pointed your statement out to him and after his dramatic pause, he said 'Oh, yeah, damn...didn't think about that." I stand corrected. Next time I'll ask one of the more "experienced" fitters.
 

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