Expert: Sharon McCarthy - 11/3/2009

Question
Hello,
I'm trying to turn off the supply valve to two (two-pipe) steam radiators, but they won't budge and WD40 didn't work.  Next, I'd like to simply change the valves altogether, however, before I remove anything I need to know that I can put it back together.  These valves aren't "T"-shaped.  They're "J"-shaped and neither have nuts where they connect to the floor pipes.  It's as though they were just set on top of the pipes (soldered?)  Does that mean that I can't simply replace them with the modern ones that are "T"-shaped and lock on with nuts? Have you seen this type before?

Answer
Dear Tee,

  I'm sorry, I meant to click on a different response, that I'm not qualified to answer this question. I used to have radiator heat in Chicago before I moved to Arizona 26 years ago but I wasn't a plumber then, I worked in a steel mill as a motor repairman. Sorry, you'll have to ask some other experts about this. Sharon