Help please

[ClaireBear78]

Hiya everyone,

Here for help. I've had a bedroom decorating nightmare. I've removed a radiator in an upstairs bedroom and as I have removed the radiator I have a leak coming from underneath my locksheild valve. It is not gushing out but I have a regular stream coming from the valve. I have tried everything from tightening and loosening bolts and I am unable to stop this is this a job for an expensive plumber or can I fix it myself? Please be gentle and use leymans terms as I am not used to the terms used here and am very basic at DIY.

Cheers

C x

 

[sooey]

If you go into the loft and hear water running into a small cistern, tie the ballvalve up. After that, I think you need to get someone in.

 

[ClaireBear78]

I removed the radiator to decorate behind it. A process I have done countless times. I didn't envisage any kind of probs. I can't seem to get any purchase when I'm trying to tighten, will it help to put radiator back on and try that way?

 

[Burnerman]

I wonder if there's a chance you may have distorted the inlet pipe to the lockshield valve when you undid the nut holding the valve onto the rad......did one of these this morning actually - the pipe was kinked at the olive and I had to put a short length of new pipe in.
You may want to follow sooey's recommendations here as the system will need to be partially drained.
John

 

[ClaireBear78]

cheers.

Expensive job?

C x

 

[MANDATE]

Are you sure the leak is from below the valve and not because the valve itself is allowing water to pass through.
When I removed a radiator, my valve still allowed a slight weep and I fitted a blanking cap, until I put the radiator back on

 

[Burnerman]

If there's a length of straight pipe nice and close, then maybe an hour would sort it......if your luck is really in, then nipping the nut up could do it. It depends on how much damage there is.
John

 

[ClaireBear78]

I've got microbore which looks slightly kinked under the nut. Is it terribly difficult to have a go at replacing that?

Plumber can't be here til morning............looks like a night with no heating.

Thanks for your replies and patience.

C x

 

[Burnerman]

Microbore or 15mm copper Claire, it makes little difference - although microbore may respond more to a tighten.
So long as theres a straight(ish) length of pipe visible, its no real problem apart from the drain down....mind you, its easy enough to freeze that one.
As you've found out, supporting the valve whilst undoing the connection nut is very important - believe me, we've all been there!
Hope you're not inconvenienced too much.
John

 

[ClaireBear78]

borrowed a vice to tighten the nut and it seems to have solved the problem.......touch wood, fingers crossed, etc.

Sorry for the drama queen entrance to a very informative and helpful forum.

Thanks very much for the replies, much appreciated.

C x