Leaking radiator thermostat valve please help!!

[PeterRadHelp99]

Ok bare with me total novice..

Water leaking heavily at times, does stop though? From the valve that alters the temperature in picture.
Have closed valve other side, and water continues to leak with heating off or on and with this thermostat to off or on. So basically isolated I think and off.
The water seems to be coming up the central hole of valve spindle in last pic...

Any direction as to how to hault without calling a plumber and draining whole system hugely welcomed.

Radiator is based in kitchen next to a combi boiler, pressure is currently zero, I assumed this may help.

And can I safely run the heating and hot water with the above current state until fixed, thanks to anyone in advance who assists....

Pete

PS On a separate note should I be concerned about rust points on rad externally on certain joints

 

[Deleted member 267285]

That valve doesn’t look thermostatic, not one I’ve seen before. No do not run heating or hot water without pressure in, and adding pressure will cause it to leak again. You may need a new valve, but until then you could cap the valve and rad off.
You’d need some stop ends, can’t see your sizes, but idea would be to plug the rad side with one, drain the leg of water in the other and remove the rad valve and cap the pipe. Then you can re-pressurise heating until you can obtain a valve.

 

[dilalio]

As above. Its a fancy decor valve so no idea if it can be serviced and re-glanded.

You have a sealed system at zero and its in a kitchen with a tiled floor? The vacuum will hold water in the system whilst you have the other valve turned off. You'll get a bit of water so have old towels to mop it. Pop it off and cap then you can remove valve and play with it to see if it can be serviced.

 

[PeterRadHelp99]

Thank you both

Wooden floor sadly.. but towells in place to stop any rot.

so can just cap this end the other end seems to be ultimately capped for water flow as I’ve closed valve - but how do I remove this valve to cap it ? Please advise all steps...

I assumed still called a thermostat , but ultimately it just turns and varies heat from cold to hot ? When turned to cold turns rad off



thanks kindly
Pete

 

[PeterRadHelp99]

And how do I tell if a closed system or were you stating that ?

 

[PeterRadHelp99]

As above. Its a fancy decor valve so no idea if it can be serviced and re-glanded.

You have a sealed system at zero and its in a kitchen with a tiled floor? The vacuum will hold water in the system whilst you have the other valve turned off. You'll get a bit of water so have old towels to mop it. Pop it off and cap then you can remove valve and play with it to see if it can be serviced.

Heating off , zero pressure , you’re suggesting I remove both screws from rad pipe and water pipe and neither pipe will flood me with water ?
Thanks
Pete

 

[Deleted member 267285]

You can undo the valve from the pipe, and the nut from radiator, but the radiator would continue to leak water out, hence the suggestion of a stop end, plugging that end. However if you turned off the other end, and opened the bleed vent, this would drain the radiator out - using a container of course. You will get a surge of water from the radiator valve side as well, so if you turn the valve to off, and do one at a time, when you’re ready to do the radiator side, use a bucket and open the valve up into this.

 

[PeterRadHelp99]

You can undo the valve from the pipe, and the nut from radiator, but the radiator would continue to leak water out, hence the suggestion of a stop end, plugging that end. However if you turned off the other end, and opened the bleed vent, this would drain the radiator out - using a container of course. You will get a surge of water from the radiator valve side as well, so if you turn the valve to off, and do one at a time, when you’re ready to do the radiator side, use a bucket and open the valve up into this.

That’s great, clears how to block off rad and empty - but as the floor pipe leading up to the actual valve , when I go to remove the valve from the floor pipe to take away for service or to replace , will I get gushing water flying up from that ? If so....how do I safely remove the valve from the floor pipe ?

also to check , no issues when in bleeding the rad empty then ? Ie once all connected back up the rad will simple fill back up once all valves opened up...

thanks
Pete

 

[Deleted member 267285]

The valve coming up from the floor, when you’re ready to do this one (Close it off and so empty rad 1st) Open up valve into a bucket, to release the surge of water, then should be ok to work on. Once connected back up, you need to add water back into the system at the boiler and they’ll fill back up, but you’ll need to bleed this radiator and check upstairs for any that may need it as well.

 

[dilalio]

OP, buy yourself a wet vac from wickes. Dead handy for this and many other jobs.