What Are Pipe Centres and How Are They Measured?

What Are Pipe Centres?

Pipe centres are the horizontal distance between the inlet and outlet pipes of the radiator. It is measured by determining the distance from the centre of one pipe to the centre of the other.

Why Is It Important to Know?

Accurate measurement of pipe centres is vital to ensuring that the radiator's connection points align with the existing pipework, preventing installation issues and ensuring proper functionality. However, the dimensions of the radiator valves must also be factored into the calculation to ensure the distance between the pipes can accommodate the radiator and valves with minimal alteration.

For example, our Origgi Valves require an additional 80mm (40mm on each side) that must be added to the width. Therefore, a 1000mm wide radiator plus 80mm gives a pipe centre measurement of 1080mm.

How to Measure

For radiators, the measurement is typically taken from the centre of one pipe to the centre of the other. For example, on a radiator with side connections, the pipe centre measurement would be the width of the radiator plus the valve set width (typically 40mm on each side).

The information provided with each radiator will state the allowance that must be made within the pipe centre calculation. While quality valves will generally be produced to an accurate size, manufacturing tolerances must also be considered. Therefore, it is always recommended that pipework is not adjusted until the new radiator or towel rail, along with its valves, is fitted.