Why you should always buy from a specialist

The Hidden Costs of Buying Unrenovated Cast Iron Radiators

It’s completely understandable that people want to save money when buying cast iron radiators. One of the most common ways we see this is when customers purchase directly from a contractor or private seller who’s just removed radiators from a property, or from a scrap merchant or reclamation yard who has a few lying around. These are usually bought with the intention of renovating them at home. But what many don’t realise is that buying original, unrenovated cast iron radiator carcasses can come with serious, and often expensive, risks.

The Potential Pitfalls

Yes, there can be savings if everything goes perfectly—but the pitfalls can easily outweigh the benefits. It’s not just a case of sanding, painting, and reinstalling. Renovating a radiator properly can be a major job, and in many cases, it ends up being more costly and stressful than simply buying a fully restored radiator from a reputable supplier.

When you buy from us, you’re getting a finished radiator built to your exact requirements—and crucially, it’s done at our risk, not yours (see our terms and conditions for details).

Why We Call Them “Carcasses”

We use the word “carcass” very deliberately to describe unrenovated radiators in their original state. That’s because that’s exactly what they are—unknown, untested, unproven, and often unreliable. The same can sometimes be said about the people selling them.

A Real-Life Example

We recently had a customer who brought in some ornate Princess-style radiators they’d bought from a reclamation yard. We provided an initial estimate for standard refurbishment, which we always give with the clear understanding that working on your own radiators is at your own risk. We explain the possible problems that might come up, what can be done about them, and how they might affect the final cost. Our belief is that the better informed you are, the more confident you’ll feel working with us.

The Hidden Damage

When the radiators arrived, we could see right away that, despite their attractive design, they had been badly treated in the past. There were water stains around every joint, DIY alterations to the bleed nipples, and original ornate end bushes that had been drilled off-centre to fit modern valves. In short, they looked lovely but were likely to be unusable in their current condition.

The issues were well beyond what any DIY enthusiast could handle, and even tested the limits of our specialist tools and expertise. Still, the customer decided to proceed—on the condition that the cost wouldn’t exceed what they’d have paid for equivalent radiators fully finished by us.

What We Found Inside

As always, we began with pressure testing. One radiator leaked slowly. Another wouldn’t hold pressure at all—it escaped as quickly as we put it in.

We dismantled the radiators and discovered even more problems. Almost every push nipple inside was corroded beyond use. These are essential internal parts that hold radiator sections together, and unlike threaded fittings, they rely on precision alignment and strong steel rods for support. We always replace these rods with stainless steel versions during restoration.

The amount of rust, grime, and debris that came out of just one radiator was staggering. Without a proper clean-out, any radiator like this would restrict water flow and could even damage the rest of your heating system by sending metal and waste through your pipes.

Back to Bare Bones

By the time we were finished stripping everything down, the only usable parts left were the castings. Every other component had to be sourced or manufactured from scratch.

The Takeaway

There’s a huge amount of work involved in properly restoring cast iron radiators. It requires the right knowledge, tools, and experience. If you’re buying from someone who doesn’t know—or won’t tell you—what condition the radiator is in, you could be setting yourself up for a costly surprise.

Buying from the back of a van, a cash-only contractor, or the forgotten corner of a salvage yard might seem like a good deal. But as many of our customers have found out, it’s not always worth the risk.

If you want peace of mind, guaranteed quality, and a radiator that works reliably for years to come, get in touch with us today. We’re here to help.