Oil leak from pipe above boiler

ForQP

Hi

A pipe above our boiler in our kitchen has started to leak what looks like oil.

Does anyone have any knowledge on why this is happening please?

Thank you 

FreeBear

That is a draincock - Just nip it up slightly with a well fitting spanner on the square peg.

If it continues to leak, the washer will need replacing. That will probably mean having to drain the system down unless a pipe freezing kit can be used.

ThisIsWeird

That's almost certainly a water pipe, and not oil. As FreeBear says, it's seeping slowly past the rubber washer in there, and what you are seeing is likely to be dissolved perished rubber
Hopefully what you are seeing is not indicative of the state of your central heating system water...
The gentlest of tightening tweaks should hopefully sort it. 
(Wipe her finger on that 'oil' and give it a sniff - what does it smell like?)

Section62

ForQP said:

Hi

A pipe above our boiler in our kitchen has started to leak what looks like oil.

Does anyone have any knowledge on why this is happening please?
 

Not oil.... unless something is very wrong.

As per FreeBear's advice. Try tightening the valve.  Has someone beeing doing work on the boiler or central heating recently?

Mr.Generous

If the water is so full of black sludge it looks like oil time for a drain down and flush I think.

ForQP

Thank you for all your comments.

No there has been no work done on the boiler recently.

After a closer inspection, you are right.  It does look like it is water instead of oil and that the rubber washer has perished.  I will slightly tighten it and hope it stops,

ThisIsWeird

In the remote chance that tightening that nut (it should only require a small fraction of a turn) doesn't work, or in the even less likely scenario that the washer actually crumbles and it becomes worse (there is always a small chance), it may make sense to have a means of quickly blocking that outlet.
I'm assuming that your CH system is 'vented' with a small F&E tank in the loft, so any leak will be easy to stop. But worth having methods ready, if even in your head!
Eg anything round and tapered that could be twisted up into that hole. Or a few inches of garden hose that can be plugged/clamped closed at one end, and the other twisted on. Or even make a bandage of cling film, and wrap it tightly around, covering the outlet - perhaps stuff a plug of the material up there first, and then bind it.
Almost certainly a tiny tweak will stop the seep, but 'be a scout'

ForQP, do you have a plumber who looks after your system, or you call out for repairs? If so, have their number handy too... 

Section62

ForQP said:

No there has been no work done on the boiler recently.

Ok, so pay particular attention to ThisIs Weird's good advice.

If someone had done work on the system recently then the drip could have been the result of them not closing the valve correctly, or a small piece of debris trapped under the sealing washer.  But as the leak has started spontaneously it would suggest the washer is breaking down due to age or chemical action and may not respond positively to further tightening.

ForQP

ThisIsWeird said:

In the remote chance that tightening that nut (it should only require a small fraction of a turn) doesn't work, or in the even less likely scenario that the washer actually crumbles and it becomes worse (there is always a small chance), it may make sense to have a means of quickly blocking that outlet.
I'm assuming that your CH system is 'vented' with a small F&E tank in the loft, so any leak will be easy to stop. But worth having methods ready, if even in your head!
Eg anything round and tapered that could be twisted up into that hole. Or a few inches of garden hose that can be plugged/clamped closed at one end, and the other twisted on. Or even make a bandage of cling film, and wrap it tightly around, covering the outlet - perhaps stuff a plug of the material up there first, and then bind it.
Almost certainly a tiny tweak will stop the seep, but 'be a scout'

ForQP, do you have a plumber who looks after your system, or you call out for repairs? If so, have their number handy too... 

Yes I do have a plumber who looks after the system. I think it’s best that I get him to have a look at it. 

Thank you for the advice. There is no water coming out of it now but I will have something close to hand to stop it leaking if it does. 

ThisIsWeird

Your call entirely on how to tackle this, but it's a trivial job for a plumber - don't be surprised if he can barely hide a smirk
Really, it's a tweak job, and/or stick summat tight-fitting up t'spout.
If you are going to call your plumber, I'd make sure he knows what the issue is; "a draincock is slightly weeping", and add to just call in when he's next passing - no rush. 

Albermarle

Your call entirely on how to tackle this, but it's a trivial job for a plumber - don't be surprised if he can barely hide a smirk 

Especially when they hand over a £100+ bill for a call out for a 30 second job