Any plumbers about? Radiator leaking

Mark A

Mark A

Mark A

Soldato
Joined
19 May 2005
Posts
18,202
Location
Lancashire
Hi,

I fit a towel radiator for my mum a few months back and its now leaking. Well it could have been leaking all along but Ive only just noticed as Ive fit some flooring and can now see small puddle forming.

Its leaking where the valve is screwed into the radiator body. I used loads of ptfe tape and screwed it in as tight as i could so i cant understand why its leaking on both sides at all.

My dad suggested using a product that you pour into the system and it fills leaks but i cant see how that would make a permanent fix?

Even if i take it off i cant see what i could do differently?

DSC_0480leak.jpg



Any advice would be appreciated.
 
Its turned off, its still leaking as its full of water. I was more after a solution to my problem. If theres a product i can add to the system that will cure the leak that will be a lot better than having to drain the system etc.

Ive just laid a new floor and its not supposed to get wet for 7 days so i need to sort it asap really.
 
There were no washers and there was no stop inside the radiator. It was just a hole that leads into the radiator.

I asked on here and a few people suggested the threads were tapered and to just use loads of ptfe tape, which i did.
 
That will mean taking the rad off again and i screwed it as tight as i could. The only way i could get it tighter would be to put a bar on the end of the allen key i used to get more leverage but I'd be frightened of it stripping the threads.
 
Hedge said:
PTFE alone should be sufficient. By the look of that photo youve put nowhere near enough on.
Click to expand...

That photo is with the valve unscrewed with no tape on, it was just a pic i took a while ago to show a mate what the thread was like. The thread is barely showing now its been tightened up, i also trimmed the ptfe tape off. If i took a pic now all you'd see is a load of bog roll wrapped around the valves ;).

I wrapped ptfe around the thread about 10-15 turns iirc. The thread was pretty rough, maybe its chewed the tape up as ive tightened it up?

The only reason i'm trying to sort this now is because ive spent all day laying self adhesive tiles and now they're gettin wet and i dont want them to start lifting.

Thanks for the replies, Werewolf, my dad mentioned Fernox so i think i'll give that a try and also redo the ptfe.

IMG_4158.jpg


EDIT: Just took a quick pic of the valve as it is now. Looks like its been leaking for a while as its rusting :(. Looks like its a rad off job then.
 
Last edited:
Cheers lads, i'll give it a go in a few days :).

It seems to have slowed right down now the heating is back on. So i'll just keep the heating on as much as possible untill i get a chance to sort it.
 
Cheers Hedge, i'll give it a shot. I think the valve went all the way in without any ptfe on and nipped up right at the end. I hope it is a tapered thread.

Is there different types of ptfe tape? The stuff i have is cheap stuff from screwfix.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom