We'd like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum... Read More »
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
Leaking Radiator
Comments
-
hopperdennis said:sk2402005 said:I had that exact problem a few years ago, i used plumbers mait, its been holding fine.iI roughed up the surface with some emmery to give it a key, cleaned it with alcohol, and let it dry.push a good thumb sized piece of the plumbers mait over over the hole and let it dry, i then painted some gloss paint over it.Mine has held for >4 years.this wont work if water is leaking from the hole, you need to shut off both valves, and possibly drain some water out.
1 -
sk2402005 said:hopperdennis said:sk2402005 said:I had that exact problem a few years ago, i used plumbers mait, its been holding fine.iI roughed up the surface with some emmery to give it a key, cleaned it with alcohol, and let it dry.push a good thumb sized piece of the plumbers mait over over the hole and let it dry, i then painted some gloss paint over it.Mine has held for >4 years.this wont work if water is leaking from the hole, you need to shut off both valves, and possibly drain some water out.Great, thanks! What’s a ‘key’; clean? Will follow the above, it’s already dry as the heating is switched off! It only leaks when it’s on, and then of course takes some time to drain out.0
-
hopperdennis said:Apodemus said:Watch one of the Youtube videos! There should be a ring below the head that unscrews to let the head lift off. Then you will see the pin. Once the pin is freely moving, replace the head and you should be able to close it properly by shutting it right down.
I'm not saying don't use the rad or don't try and fix it, I would just want to know that if the worst happens I am able to isolate it at a moment's notice.
If you can't get the flow to stop with the head off, then the valve is not seating properly and probably should be replaced. You could try giving it a few taps on the side of the valve to see if you can get it to seat properly then try again.
If it works with the head off, but not once you put it back on, then it is possible that the head is worn and not engaging the pin properly. Swap the head with one elsewhere in the system that you know is working and try again.
0 -
hopperdennis said:Apodemus said:If you have fully shut down the lockshield end of the radiator and the temperature control end, but the radiator is still showing a greater leak when the pump is running, then one of the two valves is not properly shutting. Most likely cause would be a stuck TRV valve pin. Have you tried taking the TRV valve head off and seeing if the pin moves? If you can't easily move it up and down with a pare of pliers, then tap it (gently!) with a hammer to free it up. Plenty of Youtube videos to show you how to do this (Google: "Youtube TRV valve pin").
Quite seriously, you want to be able to isolate this radiator just in case the leak suddenly gets worse. So I would see sorting the valves out as a higher priority than the pin-hole leak itself.1 -
hopperdennis said:Apodemus said:If you have fully shut down the lockshield end of the radiator and the temperature control end, but the radiator is still showing a greater leak when the pump is running, then one of the two valves is not properly shutting. Most likely cause would be a stuck TRV valve pin. Have you tried taking the TRV valve head off and seeing if the pin moves? If you can't easily move it up and down with a pare of pliers, then tap it (gently!) with a hammer to free it up. Plenty of Youtube videos to show you how to do this (Google: "Youtube TRV valve pin").
Quite seriously, you want to be able to isolate this radiator just in case the leak suddenly gets worse. So I would see sorting the valves out as a higher priority than the pin-hole leak itself.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkN700ijZ5Q&ab_channel=dereton33
0 -
hopperdennis said:Homer_home said:What heating system do you have vented or sealed?
If it's sealed then the water loss will be minimal and it's not such an issue
Either way a pin hole in a rad is bad news , the rad needs replacing or isolating as you are clearly not plumbing savvy I suggest you get in a plumber or a mate who is handy with the tools to help you as you can easily make things worse
2 -
Homer_home said:hopperdennis said:Homer_home said:What heating system do you have vented or sealed?
If it's sealed then the water loss will be minimal and it's not such an issue
Either way a pin hole in a rad is bad news , the rad needs replacing or isolating as you are clearly not plumbing savvy I suggest you get in a plumber or a mate who is handy with the tools to help you as you can easily make things worse0 -
hopperdennis said:sk2402005 said:hopperdennis said:sk2402005 said:I had that exact problem a few years ago, i used plumbers mait, its been holding fine.iI roughed up the surface with some emmery to give it a key, cleaned it with alcohol, and let it dry.push a good thumb sized piece of the plumbers mait over over the hole and let it dry, i then painted some gloss paint over it.Mine has held for >4 years.this wont work if water is leaking from the hole, you need to shut off both valves, and possibly drain some water out.Great, thanks! What’s a ‘key’; clean? Will follow the above, it’s already dry as the heating is switched off! It only leaks when it’s on, and then of course takes some time to drain out.
by key it means roughing up the surface (with sandpaper etc), effectively increasing the surface area for the plumbers mait to hold on to.
0 -
1. I'm afraid Plumber's Mait is entirely the wrong stuff to use. It doesn't harden, and doesn't stick to anything in the same way as an adhesive.
2. If the radiator has sprung a leak, then as other above have said, its finished and the only safe route forward is to replace it.
3. ANY repair is liable to give way at some unpredictable time. Don't expect your insurer's to pay if they discover a bodged repair has been done.
4. I would suggest you get your system cleaned, and pressure tested so that any other weak spots can be identified and sensible repairs / replacements carried out.
2 -
Plumber Mait is a non-setting compound and completely the wrong stuff, even for such a temporary 'bodge'.
Epoxy putty (2-part mix) might do it. Milliput even says it can be applied under water... https://www.milliput.com/
Roughing up the surface and degreasing is still a good idea.
The proper answer is to fit a new radiator with new lockshield and TRV, of course.0
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply

Categories
- All Categories
- 350.6K Banking & Borrowing
- 253K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 453.4K Spending & Discounts
- 243.6K Work, Benefits & Business
- 598.3K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 176.7K Life & Family
- 256.7K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.6K Read-Only Boards