locoboy
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 04:18 PM |
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leaky radiator joint (House)
Hi guys,
my bathroom radiator joint has sprung a leak when the radiator is on but stops when its turned off.
Below the arrow points to where its leaking.
Its coming up the threads and out and dripping off the nut.
 
leak
I have nipped it up but it still leaks.
I need to undo this joint and use some PTFE and re assemble.
I have a combi boiler downstairs and this is an upstairs rad.
What is the procedure for undoing and draining the rad preferably so i dont flood the house!
cheers
ATB
Locoboy
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gingerprince
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 04:30 PM |
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technically you need to drain the whole system either via your drain plug (if you have one, mine didn't!) or with buckets at the radiator
end.
OR, since you know it's only a quick job you can use a pipe freeze kit: -
http://www.screwfix.co
m/prods/13369/Plumbing/Pipe-Freezing-Kits/Pipe-Freezing-Kit-220ml;jsessionid=TIQMZZRHFAYWGCSTHZOCFGA
basically close off the radiator valve, freeze the pipe, unscrew, ptfe and replace.
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mark chandler
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 04:30 PM |
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Are you sure ??
Is it not leaking from under the cap and running down the back making it look like the threads, if it was the threads rad on or off it would still
leak.
Pull off the cap, there is a post that the cap fits on with a nut, nip this up a little.
Failing that its system drain time or freeze the local pipework and PTFE tape.
Regards Mark
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r1_pete
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 04:32 PM |
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If it stops leaking when the valve is off, I'd suspect the gland seal which seals the valve shaft against the body, and its actually running
down the back of the valve and filling the threads from behind.
Before draining the system, pull the plastic knob off, you'll see another nut, give that a nip up and see if the leaking stops. Worth trying
before major works....
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tomblyth
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 04:32 PM |
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your combi should be isolated (law) from the mains water ! so the way i would do it is to use the overpressure valve on the combi to drain the
pressure from the system. once you have done this turn the valve off on the other side of that rad do the repair then turn the valve back on and
repressurise using a filling loop! in a day or two you'l need to bleed the highest rad!
new valves are only 2 or 3 quid so replace it, Incaase as mentioned above thw waters tracking!
[Edited on 5/10/08 by tomblyth]
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locoboy
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 04:49 PM |
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im sure its coming up the treads as i have wiped it and i can see it welling up but i will check it and report back.
surely if i turn off all the boiler etc it wont still be under pressure will it?
If its not under pressure and its above the boiler / pump then surely i can just drain the radinto a bucket / towels etc and then do the job and
tcouple it back up and turn everything back on with the bleed screw open on that rad untill its full then it should be ok?
or have i missed something fundimantal about the workings of central heating systems?
ATB
Locoboy
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locoboy
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 05:03 PM |
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Checked and your right!
I could swar that it was coming UP though!
Thanks for the tip off and it goes to confirm that this forum is an extremely usefull place for all things car and non car related.
Thanks again guys.
ATB
Locoboy
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tjoh84
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| posted on 5/10/08 at 08:12 PM |
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this i s what i wpuld so as well as often happens when been turned off for a while also happens to stop taps alot
quote:
Originally posted by mark chandler
Are you sure ??
Is it not leaking from under the cap and running down the back making it look like the threads, if it was the threads rad on or off it would still
leak.
Pull off the cap, there is a post that the cap fits on with a nut, nip this up a little.
Failing that its system drain time or freeze the local pipework and PTFE tape.
Regards Mark
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