Radiator Valve leak (possibly pipe?)

[Niall76]

Evening all,

One of my radiators (the biggest one of course) is leaking at the area where the pipe enters the TRV. Although it could be the nut on the TRV? Anyhow, it's an old system which is not under pressure. There's a drain point outside the front of the house and a small tank in the loft for the system. It's an old Baxi boiler unit. Now I know that isolating the rad is pointless as it will keep leaking. How easy (wishful thinking?) is it to repair/replace?

It's microbore (8mm) pipework. The pipe is pretty scabby looking as the leak has been going for a while without me noticing. It's definitely getting worse.

For the time being I've put plumbers mait on it and wrapped a towel around in an attempt to save the floor.

I'm skint so looking for the cheapest way to repair. Even if it's temporary. Although I'd rather have it fixed properly.

Will it be okay if I clean up the pipe using fine emery paper and fitting a new valve?

Will I need to drain down the system to do it? (offending rad is on ground floor).

Should I drain down the system to stop the leak getting worse?

Is there a way to fix it without draining?

Or, does anyone know a good (not too expensive) plumber near Renfrew, just outside Glasgow airport?

Thanks

 

[chr15]

Evening all,

One of my radiators (the biggest one of course) is leaking at the area where the pipe enters the TRV. Although it could be the nut on the TRV? Anyhow, it's an old system which is not under pressure. There's a drain point outside the front of the house and a small tank in the loft for the system. It's an old Baxi boiler unit. Now I know that isolating the rad is pointless as it will keep leaking. How easy (wishful thinking?) is it to repair/replace?

It's microbore (8mm) pipework. The pipe is pretty scabby looking as the leak has been going for a while without me noticing. It's definitely getting worse.

For the time being I've put plumbers mait on it and wrapped a towel around in an attempt to save the floor.

I'm skint so looking for the cheapest way to repair. Even if it's temporary. Although I'd rather have it fixed properly.

Will it be okay if I clean up the pipe using fine emery paper and fitting a new valve?

Will I need to drain down the system to do it? (offending rad is on ground floor).

Should I drain down the system to stop the leak getting worse?

Is there a way to fix it without draining?

Or, does anyone know a good (not too expensive) plumber near Renfrew, just outside Glasgow airport?

Thanks

The easiest way to change it if you dont want to drain the system is to get yourself a rubber bung kit and bung the vent and feed pipes in the loft on the f/e cistern. Once you have blocked off the vent pipe and cold feed pipe you then isolate your rad,drain it off and then open the leaking trv and catch the water with a small container and some towels-shouldnt be much,maybe a litre--make sure your boiler is turned off and the pump cant run.-yes its ok to use emery paper to clean the pipe-we usually use wire wool.

 

[dal5band]

I suspect that over the years the nut has been over-tightened so the olive on the pipe is not making a seal. I persume you've tried tightening it ?

1 You could undo the nut whilst holding the pipe in, smear plumbers mate over the olive and put the nut back on. Lots of towels needed and make sure water is cold.

2 Another way is to wrap a couple of turns of ptfe tape over the olive. This will need a drain down.

3 If you decide to change the valve - have you got enough slack in the pipe to cut off the old olive ?

 

[Niall76]

Thanks for the replys.

I think you're right about the olive. I don't know if there is enough slack in the pipe? I take it I won't be able to simply pull the old one off and fit a new one?

I tried tightning it but it felt very tight and I didn't want to make it worse so left it. We've not been in the house long and pretty much everything is bodged or a mess so it probably has been tightened over the years.

Looks like I'm draining down the system this weekend then......

 

[Niall76]

I forgot to ask, when I drain the system does this mean the hot water storage tank will empty too?

And what advice do you have for re-filling the system? Do I let the tank in the loft fill and do it's job? Should I let it fill while draining at the drain point to get the air out? I assume I'll need to bleed all radiators, what about the hot storage tank?

Thanks

Niall

 

[dal5band]

The hot tank and CH waters do not mix - there is a heat exchanger in the tank (coil of copper pipe to tranfer heat from CH circuit). So, the hot tank can stay full and you may have enough hot water to last the rest of the day. You may even have an immersion heater to keep the HW going - better check it's all safe though.

Re-filling is a matter of luck - you may get an air lock if there are some long sections of horizontal pipes. Air goes upwards so shut the drain cock.
When you think it is full, and you have bled as much air out as you can turn the boiler off at its thermostat so it dosn't fire up. Turn things on at the programmerm this way you can run it cold to force any air out.
At some point you need to add some inhibitor when you are sure you don't need to drain it again.

 

[chr15]

Bung it!

 

[nickso]

Bung it!

its the best way

 

[chr15]

Bung it!

its the best way

I know--i suggested it earlier-dont want to be draining down if you dont have to.