Dripping central heating overflow

[Padzster]

Hello.
I have a problem with a dripping central heating overflow. We recently had a couple of rads taken off and put back on so that we could decorate. Since then the overflow has been leaking. Sometimes it just drips, but sometimes it's pouring out. This happened before and we guessed that there might be too much air in the system, so we bled the rads and it was fixed. But this time it doesn't seem to be working. It's been leaking for 3 days now.
Any advice/tips/ideas?
I'm not a confident DIYer by the way
Cheers!

 

[Bahco]

What is leaking?

Is it a tank overflow or a pipe underneath the boiler?

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Check the balltap isnt leaking to the small tank in the loft. Its possible that some crud was drawn through to the balltap when the system was re-filled or that the balltap just needs renewing anyway. Not usually worth messing about with washers for the price of them.

Unlikely to be air if all the rads are working

 

[Padzster]

The pipe that comes out of the loft into the garden is leaking.

Where/what is the balltap, and what will it involve?

 

[ChrisR]

Never heard one called that! He means the float valve in the small tank in the loft. It shouldn't be letting water in once the system's full apart from replacing evaporation. It should have a stop cock on the supply to but probably hasn't. Until you sort it properly you could try pulling /tying it up hard to stop the drip

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

Its the device that fills the cistern in the loft. It should look something like this replace it with one that looks like this
It will have one of these on the end of it

 

[Padzster]

Thanks for that - very helpful.
Another basic question for you: is it actually inside the tank, and if so is the tank easy enough to open? Will it be easy enough for me to do it all myself or get someone in?
Like I said, I'm not the best DIYer!

 

[Slugbabydotcom]

If you can remove and refit rads you can do this!
If someone else did that job then it might be best to get someone in to do it and if you helped/watched them you may be confident to do one yourself the next time you see an overflow leaking

 

[Bahco]

What is the water level like when the system is cold?

Should be 100 mm from bottom of tank and will fill up to allow for expansion when heating is on.