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Post by edenmanor on Apr 10, 2020 15:18:46 GMT
hello everyone can anyone give me advice about fixing a slight leak on a radiator valve gland nut, i have a 8mm microbore system with feed and expansion tank in loft, an upstairs bathroom radiator has a slight weep around nut have tried nipping nut up but dont want to over do it how can i put ptfe tape around the olive without getting water everywhere do i have to drain system or is there another do the repair.
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Post by tomplum on Apr 10, 2020 16:13:55 GMT
hello edenmanor and welcome to the brewcabin, A picture would help with advice like this but, to have a first stab, I'm assuming you mean the 3/4 union nut that splits the valve,
So turn both valves off at each end, then put a bowl under the valve and undo slowly, So the bowl will catch the water, depending on the system, It might just glug out or it might come out at force and then die off, when you undo the nut put some plumbers paste on the mating surfaces and retighten it up, pfte won't be easy to get on,
If you need more help come back and I try again if I've got the wrong situation,
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Post by edenmanor on Apr 10, 2020 16:48:53 GMT
Thanks for the reply, its the small nut that 8mm pipe goes through sealed by an olive if i over tighten it it might damage the olive
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Post by tomplum on Apr 10, 2020 20:15:56 GMT
ok mate, different approach then, this is what I would do, turn off both valve,and put a bowl under the pipe going in where you valve is, undo the offending nut BUT ( this is important) keep pressure on the pipe going in, keep the olive sealed to the valve with one hand at all times, so you only have one hand to work with, ( I'm assuming here you have two hands), the other hand has to, undo the nut, wrap tape round the olive and pipe then reconnect and tighten it up again, So make sure everything you need is to hand, if you are not confident with that, drain the system from the offending rad, if there is no drain off from that rad, beware, there will still be water in that rad and the pipework to it, So you still need a bowl, The problem with method 2 is that. filling up again can take forever because you will get air locks and on microbore heating systems, is a pain in the backside, anyway its your call, might be worth getting help from a friend/handyman to assist you in method 1, comeback and let us know how you do it and take pictures, we all learn stuff every day,  |
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Post by DIYDafty on Apr 10, 2020 20:38:01 GMT
ok mate, different approach then, this is what I would do, turn off both valve,and put a bowl under the pipe going in where you valve is, undo the offending nut BUT ( this is important) keep pressure on the pipe going in, keep the olive sealed to the valve with one hand at all times, so you only have one hand to work with, ( I'm assuming here you have two hands), the other hand has to, undo the nut, wrap tape round the olive and pipe then reconnect and tighten it up again, So make sure everything you need is to hand, if you are not confident with that, drain the system from the offending rad, if there is no drain off from that rad, beware, there will still be water in that rad and the pipework to it, So you still need a bowl, The problem with method 2 is that. filling up again can take forever because you will get air locks and on microbore heating systems, is a pain in the backside, anyway its your call, might be worth getting help from a friend/handyman to assist you in method 1, comeback and let us know how you do it and take pictures, we all learn stuff every day,  As a DIYer, I'd have never thought of method 1 - thats a bloody good idea. If it was me and I hadn't heard of TOm's tip, I'd have covered the floor in towels, maybe bunged up fe tank if I was lucky, then undone the nut with paste or ptfe at the ready and tried to get the gunk on the top side of the olive as the water streamed out.... |
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Post by endfeed on Apr 10, 2020 20:55:38 GMT
What about bunging the f&e tank?
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Post by tomplum on Apr 10, 2020 21:05:11 GMT
yea bunging is another option too,
so edenmanor, if you want another option of bunging, we can help there as well,
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Post by DIYDafty on Apr 10, 2020 22:00:52 GMT
What about bunging the f&e tank? Not like you to take the advice of a DIYer HAHA |
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Post by endfeed on Apr 10, 2020 22:09:46 GMT
What about bunging the f&e tank? Not like you to take the advice of a DIYer HAHA sorry mate didn't fully read all 👍👍 |
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Post by rocketmanbkk on Apr 11, 2020 9:34:39 GMT
I either bung the tank ot do the one hanged option. One handed is better.
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Post by edenmanor on Apr 11, 2020 9:57:46 GMT
thanks for your advice i am going to try method 1 this afternoon with the help of my son, would it help if i closed all the other upstairs radiator valves and the 2 gate valves for the pump. cant supply any photos as im a bit of a luddite when it comes to mobile phones dont have a smart one
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Post by crowsfoot on Apr 11, 2020 17:14:28 GMT
Possibly only a slight bit of help in doing this eden.
A plumber would just go for it with some rags round the valve, above all don't panic when the water spurts out when you slacken off the valve - just wrap the PTFE and tighten it back up as quick as possible.
There always seems more water than there actually is when it starts to drip!
PS Just noticed I'm probably 7hrs too late with this post.....if I am how did the job go?
Tappy,
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Post by tomplum on Apr 11, 2020 20:12:07 GMT
good advice from tappy as well. don't panic, thats easy to say but, if you spill a pint of water on the floor, it looks like its a lot but its not, its just like 2 mugs of water, it will dry up and in a day or two, no one will know, the thick dirty black sludge will not come out of a full system and thats another reason for not draining, if you drain is, the thick black sludge might creep out and a pint of that will do a lot of damage to a white carpet, anyway with your Son there to hold the pipe up to the valve it should be easy, don't forget to come back and tell us how it went, I'm on the edge of my seat here,  |
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Post by edenmanor on Apr 12, 2020 9:26:48 GMT
hi, well we put a round wooden bung in f&e tank closed all upstairs rad valves and pump valves, undid pipe nut but could not get ptfe tape around top of olive as it was still in contact with valve housing after a bit of thought came up with idea of using a nozzle from a mastic gun tube that hadn't been cut to give us more time to put tape on properly, pulled pipe down stuck nozzle in as quickly as possible and held it there while i put tape around olive and pipe, removed nozzle it took a could of tries to do it and a fair it of water spillage but managed to get pipe back into housing tightened nut and turned all valves back on removed bung from tank which was easier said than done because it had swollen in size, if it had been downstairs and carpeted out i don't think i tried what we did, but has cured the leak fingers crossed, thank you for your advice
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Post by tomplum on Apr 12, 2020 11:41:33 GMT
Well done to you and your son and thanks for coming back to tell us, |
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