leak from gate valve.

[robbie77]

Hello,

My parents are away and I am looking after their house. I have encountered some problems as is usual when one asks you to look after something.

There is a leak coming from the gate valve on the flow side of the CH pipe quite close to the boiler.

Its doesn't look like its coming from the gland but where the valve attaches to the compression fitting.

It loos like there is some sealant around where the leak is.

Am i best off replacing the whole fitting? I think the pipe is frozen higher up (the boiler is turning on and off every 10 mins and the rads and the return pipe are cold) and may have caused it to start leaking here?

So my plan so far is to turn off the cold water and then start dismantling the valve....
Any pointers greatly appreciated.

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• robbie77
• 20 Feb 2011
• 1

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• robbie77
• 20 Feb 2011
• 1

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• robbie77
• 20 Feb 2011
• 1

 

[Agile]

I sense a disaster starting to happen. Why not wait until they return and get a plumber?

If you must do something why not gardening as thats unlikely to go badly wrong.

It needs replacing but is not urgent.

[ He-He its probabally imp too ! ]

Tony

 

[husker199]

try tightening the comppression nuts (dont go mad) if that doesnt work put a bucket underneath and call out a plumber at some point.

 

[ChrisR]

The compression nuts don't appear to be leaking, so leave them alone.

The gland nut (green arrow) you could normally tighten up a bit if the stem gland is leaking
BUT if the body (blue arrow) is leaking, it'll probably get MUCH WORSE as soon as you touch it. SO DON'T!
If you know what to do (having played with a few) you can avoid a flood and fix it, unless it's a rubbish valve in which case you're stuffed.
You might have to drtain down or freeze it, etc
So it's a job for a plumber really.

 

[DP]

The capnut around the spindle- tighten it a shade (perhaps half a turn)

The leak at the body. Relieve pressure is you can and unscrew top from the body by half a turn. Wrap PTFE in the gap created and resecure. Now it will be good as gold.

 

[robbie77]

The compression nuts don't appear to be leaking, so leave them alone.

The gland nut (green arrow) you could normally tighten up a bit if the stem gland is leaking
BUT if the body (blue arrow) is leaking, it'll probably get MUCH WORSE as soon as you touch it. SO DON'T!
If you know what to do (having played with a few) you can avoid a flood and fix it, unless it's a rubbish valve in which case you're stuffed.
You might have to drtain down or freeze it, etc
So it's a job for a plumber really.

Its leaking where the blue arrow is. If I try anything I thin I might drain the system down first...

Many thanks to all those who replied with useful advice except for, of course Agile

 

[ChrisR]

Danny my friend, you've been luckier than me!

If it's a gravity suppied water pipe, you'll get a big leak as soon as you undo the nut at the blue arrow. Often there used to be a dark red washer in there, or some compound, which breaks up and falls out. If you can work with it leaking that badly you can wind tape round and do it up.
That's assuming the threads haven't "gone"
To reduce the leak, if you can close the valve it'll shut off water both sides. As you undo the head gear you have to keep winding the valve in, or it'll lift up.
If it's all scaled up, it won't turn - you'll have to deal with that as well.

If the threads in the middle of the valve are "gone", you won't be able to screw the thing back together at all. You will need wellies and an emergency plan to drain the system. Half a new valve is very unllikely to be the same thread.
I've had a number of gate and pump valves do this - you have to wonder how they ever held together in the first place.

Then if you'e unlucky, the valve will jam in its seat and break off when you reopen it. Quite common.

Do you feel, lucky? !!

 

[Agile]

I have often been able to make a temporary repair as Danny suggests. But I only see that as temporay until I can get a replacement.

I am sorry that you dont value my advice Robbie.

Its still my view that you are risking possibly quite serious problems by touching it, particularly if its on an upper floor.

Its causing no urgent problem so why risk doing something which can cause a flood? Let a plumber do it for you.

At least a plumber should have insurance.

Tony

 

[robbie77]

I have often been able to make a temporary repair as Danny suggests. But I only see that as temporay until I can get a replacement.

I am sorry that you dont value my advice Robbie.

Its still my view that you are risking possibly quite serious problems by touching it, particularly if its on an upper floor.

Its causing no urgent problem so why risk doing something which can cause a flood? Let a plumber do it for you.

At least a plumber should have insurance.

Tony

I do value your advice just not the patronising comments. If your advice is to get a plumber that's fair enough and quite possibly the best advice.

No hard feelings I hope

 

[ChrisR]

Most of us carry those valves, they're so common, so "until I can get a replacement" seems odd.
IF you can do as DP suggested and seal it with tape, (with more or less difficulty, as I elaborated) there's absolutley no point in replacing the valve anyway. The original washer breaking up is not a sign that the rest of the valve is likely to fail.

 

[robbie77]

Update!
I encountered more problems with the system (pump problems) so i have drained the system down.

The valve was leaking I think because the pump was broken and it caused this section of the pipe to get hotter than normal.

The threads are fine but it's had some sealant on it.
So do I add some sealant (not much thread for ptf)??

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• robbie77
• 31 Mar 2011
• 1

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• robbie77
• 31 Mar 2011
• 1

Or do I add the new one

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• robbie77
• 31 Mar 2011
• 1

I didn't really want to start hacking olives off ! what do you reckon?

Thanks....

 

[boabcelt]

If you have a new valve to hand, I would just whack it in. Cutting the olives takes 2min. Beware though that the pipe may be imperial 3/4" rather than 22mm. If you go to a merchants and ask for green rings that will sort you out. A green ring is just an appropriately sized olive.

 

[robbie77]

I think I have some 3/4 olives from a previous job. A green ring is a 3/4 then?
The old valve looks ok though I just done want it to turn into a ballache.

 

[robbie77]

Turns out the pipe was 22mm which is good. The olives came off without too much trouble and I got the new valve fitted.
Unfortunately the copper pipe was not as straight as it could have been (perhaps overtightned originaly on the old compression fittings) and there is a small weep out the top although it is very small.

May have to replace the pipe section at some point.

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• robbie77
• 4 Apr 2011
• 1

 

[Burnerman]

If you want, you could split the joint again, add some sealant and a good few turns of ptfe tape around the olives plus a little more sealant.....that'll sort it!
John