leaking nuts..

[joeturbo]

afternoon all,

Hoping to get some advice, we have recently purchased a 12 year old apartment and going through the process of decorating.

I have noticed that the bathroom radiator valve / nut is leaking where it joins the yellow flexi, have tried tightening nut with no luck

Have also noticed that both bathroom and ensuite hot water pipes to sink seem to have leaked as all the paint is flaking off them and the nuts do feel wet

Also the taps drip if not turned off tightly so was planning on replacing washers if an easy job

Any advise on how best to fix this?

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• joeturbo
• 18 Jan 2015
• 1

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• joeturbo
• 18 Jan 2015
• 1

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• joeturbo
• 18 Jan 2015
• 1

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• joeturbo
• 18 Jan 2015
• 1

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• joeturbo
• 18 Jan 2015
• 1

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• joeturbo
• 18 Jan 2015
• 1

 

[Madrab]

Looks like the plastic push fit radiator fitting isn't quite straight into the TRV therefore just tightening may not seal it if it's started to leak. Needs to be undone and refitted, maybe with a little ptfe around the olive, and ensure it's straight before tightening. If it's a plastic insert though it may have bent over time with the heat and need replaced.

Certainly water damaged paint on the sink supply pipes, either through weeping of the tap connector or condensation.
To do it all easily I'd turn off the water remove tap connector and take the tap off the sink for easier access but not necessary of course. Replace the fibre washers in the tap connector to be sure, don't overtighten when refitting and don't paint the pipes. Can service the taps when removed off the sink. Tap washers are pretty straightforward, water off and remove tap heads, replace washer on the jumper at the bottom of the body. Only thing is depending on how old the taps are they may need re-seating.

 

[joeturbo]

Thanks for the reply.

How would I undo and refit the nut / plastic flexi without getting water everywhere? Do I need to drain the radiator?

Yes, I was thinking of removing all the taps to give them a clean and renew all the seals but can't get the heads off? I think the caps screw on rather then clip on and struggling to undo them. Have covered in wd40 and will try again in a bit

 

[denso13]

You need to drain more than the radiator as the leak is on the pipework. You'll have to drain the system below the level of the leak.

 

[joeturbo]

I have just had a brand new boiler fitted a month ago by British Gas and think they cover pipework so may give them a call if needs to be bleed.

Was thinking about just using plumber putter on the outside of the nut where it joins the plastic yellow joint, would this not work?

 

[Madrab]

That's interesting as BG should have cleaned and checked the whole system prior to signing off on the new install and should have spotted the leak. Yup, get them back in.

You may find that the covers just pop off the top of the tap and you'll find the screws below them. Can be a bit tight & fiddly if not been off in a long time, I've had to use a pair of vice grips and cloth before to "gently" grab the top and twist upwards.

 

[joeturbo]

yes, will contact them tomorrow and ask them to fix.

as for the tap heads, im pretty sure they are not clipped on (as my kitchen ones are). the bathroom ones look pretty much the same as the ones in the video below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-OdcQ2vhkU

may need to get some grips on it

 

[Madrab]

The old stylee ones I've come across before are just pressed on and get 'glued' on over time through crud and corrosion though some, with a metal knurled ring around them screw off and there' a screw below and then there's the ones in the video, must admit I've only ever seen them once.

But Yeah, all should be able to be moved with a pair of grips though I would think.

 

[joeturbo]

Just to update this, British Gas came out today. Turned out to be just a lose nut (not the one connected to the yellow bend but the one above this)

I will try to remove the taps on Saturday to replace the washers and o-rings, I'm guessing it's prob easiest just to pick up a bag of different sizes from b&q before hand.

Whist the British Gas guy was there I mentioned that we had installed brand new boiler but the 2 bedrooms are always freezing cold and was this down to me not setting the thermostats correctly. He suggested the rads are jut not up to the job of heatin the rooms and should upgrade to double convector.

Are there any preferences to rads or do they all pretty much come out as the same spec? I did remove and drain a rad in my old apartment a couple years ago so guessing I could prob change this myself if it's same dimentions as existing

 

[DaveHerns]

Even if your rads aren't big enough to heat the rooms they should be hot and not freezing cold so it looks like the man from BG is giving you BS as usual.Get him back and tell him to fix it

 

[joeturbo]

Sorry, I should have been clearer, the radiators themselves do get very hot but the rooms are still very cold

Bedroom 2 is the coldest, room size 8'9 x 7'8, rad size W720mm x H500mm not placed under window

Bedroom 1 is 11'10 x 11'5, rad size is W1040mm x H500mm under window

Both are single convector, 12 year old apartment

I prob should have started a new topic for this

 

[DaveHerns]

If your house insulation is OK then you probably do need bigger rads .Sorry I thought you meant the rads were cold

 

[longdogs]

Leaks quite often appear after a new combi is installed