Leaking Radiator

keystone

Pont wrote: »

I fear I'm going to have to call the plumber in tomorrow

Thats probably best.

££££££

Don't be so judgemental.

On the brighter side I can at least pretend I know what I'm taking about to him - nuts, olives etc.

:D

Cheers

Pont

keystone you're a star! Your post is the one and only thing to make me smile today :-)

bobthedambuilder

Pont wrote: »

Ok - these aren't the best pics. My daughter has just been here and her view is that the leak is coming from just below the nut (it does look coroded there as shown in the second pic).

I hope you can see that the pipe is a bit manky - I'm not sure if there has been a problem there before I bought this house about 2 1/2 years ago?

I agree with keystone. The fact that the pipe isn't going into the valve straight is most likely the cause of your problem.

Maybe somebody has recently knocked the pipe/valve askew. Over-enthusiastic vacuum cleaning is sometimes a culprit!

If you're not confident on draining down the system to undo the valve, cutting off and replacing the olive (first of all cleaning up the pipe end with steel wool to give the olive a good seal) and reconnecting the valve, refilling and recommissioning the system, then get a plumber in to do it. It'll cost you, but it isn't a huge job.

Pont

Bob and keystone - you were both spot on! I got the plumber in and he did exactly what Bob suggested above. However, I did watch him, and probably drove him nuts with questions, so feel I could tackle the job should it occur again in the future (cost a tenner!).

Thanks all for you helpful suggestions and advice.

tigeress289

You are lucky you have a decent person there. Normally you would have been overcharged. Worth buying a decent pair of footprints(grips) and a good adjustable wrench. The secret here, is equal force both ways so as not to damage the pipe. A couple of posts were spot on and if like me, they wished they could just do it there and then. Some of these problems are so simple to some of us. Sorted and found decent chap, Cant be bad?

Pont

tigeress - you're very right.

To experienced people a leaking radiator isn't a 'problem' but more of an inconvenience as they know what to do. I, like most inexperienced people, have a mad panic when it comes to plumbing! I instantly think water, central heating, boiler, gas etc etc!

However, I will buy some basic plumbing tools and will be more inclined to give it a go if (and I'm sure it will!) the same problem occurs again.

And yes, I'm lucky to know a good, decent plumber/CH engineer - he fit my new boiler system last year. As I said I paid him £10 (he was there for well over an hour altogether) and bought his kids some chocolate.

bobthedambuilder

Pont wrote: »

And yes, I'm lucky to know a good, decent plumber/CH engineer - he fit my new boiler system last year. As I said I paid him £10 (he was there for well over an hour altogether) and bought his kids some chocolate.

When I said it'd cost you, I was thinking in the £100-200 range. Callout fee plus min 1 hour charge. £10 is not just good, it's astounding!

Pont

....and I'm keeping him all to myself!