Isolation valves on radiator pipes

doconnor74

Quick question - we've just had some surface-mounted radiator pipes chased into the wall.

The plumber came in the morning to drain down and put isolation valves (like these - www dot screwfix dot com/sfd/i/cat/29/p1082529_l.jpg) on the pipes. The builder then chased the wall out and the plumber reconnected, leaving the valves in place.

The valves in question are in the ceiling, so when the plasterer comes to skim, they'll become inaccessable. Someone mentioned to me that it's not a good idea to leave the valves on in this manner as they can fur up, but not sure if that's true ?

Should I be getting the plumber to sort ?

cheers !
Danny

jblack_2

Personally I would not use any compression fittings in inaccessable places in case they were to start leaking. I can see no reason why he used iso valves if he drained the system.

1984ReturnsForReal_2

Get them removed & don't pay any extra.

doconnor74

Thanks chaps - my thoughts exactly, just wanted to make sure I wasn't being too anal about it !

gas4you

Hope you didn't have to supply the hay for his horse as well!!

doconnor74

Yeeeeee-haaawwwwww !

MrX

doconnor74 it seems the general feeling is that they MUST be removed. And if I was you I would certainly query why they have been used, especially if the system has been drained and you have not needed the heating on.

But, just to give another view. I once put isolator valves on my central heating. I was doing a full bathroom re-fit and wasn't ready to connect the new towel rad up for about a week or two, until I had finished tiling etc. It was also late autumn and I wanted the heating on. So rather than drain the system again (bathroom was on ground floor) I fitted iso valves so I could still have heating on and simply connect the new rad up when I was ready.

That was 6 years ago. Not had any probs at all.

As long as the valve is on tight, and fully opened you should not get any probs. The risk of furying (provided you have inhibitor in your system) is not greater at the iso valves than it is at say your rad valves (the gap there is probably a lot smaller than if the iso valve is fully open.)

So in short, ask for an explanation, if it's similar to my reason for doing it then I don't see a problem. If it's for any other reason then you'll have to judge it yourself and if you're not happy then ask for them to be removed.

Bottom line though. They should not cause you any problems.

keystone

doconnor74 wrote: »

Yeeeeee-haaawwwwww !

Careful Des - you'll give yourself a hernia!

Cheers

1984ReturnsForReal_2

MrX wrote: »

Bottom line though. They should not cause you any problems.

Top line though.


What is the cost to put it right if they do cause a problem?


Plumber & a plasterer........

doconnor74

If they were next to the feeds going into the rads and thus exposed, I doubt I'd have given it a second thought - as they're going to be in the ceiling however...

As 1984 says, plumber and plasterer would be required

Wookey

As others have said compression fittings hidden out of view can cause real problems, the biggest culprits for leaks are expansion due to pipes heating/cooling down and the pipework being clipped or supported in such a way to focus all the expansion into the weakest point ie. the compression joint, or being under wooden floors where there is a lot of movement when people are walking on them.