My fault!

[loosemore]

Tonight I was bleeding the radiators in my home when whilst tightening up, what i would call the bleed screw the head snapped off. luckly the thread is still in place and would appear to be tight as there is no water escaping.

Slightly angry with myself i thought i would leave it going with the thought that if it aint leaking i shouldnt have any problems with it until i can get advice from a plummer. However my central heating system has now lost all pressure and shut itself down?!!?

I have (and i know you couldnt tell) no expierence with plumbing and this is my first home. It is a new house (less than 18 months old) and the radiators bleed point consists of a small square headed bolt within a hexagonal (6 sided?) shape that looks like it too is screwed into the radiator.

Am i able to change just this part or i have just destroyed a new radiator?

Thank you in advance for your hep,

Ed

 

[JohnD]

you can unscrew the plug that the bleed screw goes into.

buy a new one first

they fit a "radiator key" which is like a large Allen key. it has a hole drilled in the end to fit round the bleed screw (if present)

new ones often fit with an ordinary spanner.

you get them at DIY sheds or plumbers merchants

buy some PTFE tape as well, to wrap round the thread to avoid leaks.

you probably need to repressurise the boiler, if it has stopped working. Start a new thread and head it with the boiler make and model.

 

[clf-gas]

You can change the vent

Dont panic, close the rad valves and then drain out some water, take out broken vent and put in new, open valves same mumber of turns it took to close them top up system to 1.5bar and bleed rads (carefully).

 

[loosemore]

Thank you! You folk honestly do deserve an award. I can go to bed now (since i have to be up again in 4 hours) with a lot less stress.

Before i got your posts i managed to work out how to repressurize the heating system. I took it up to almost 2 bar and it appears to have dropped only a very small amount over the past hour or so.

Is it possible that bleeding several rad's (with some of them being almost fully filled with air) lead to the loss of pressure and not my heavy handedness alone?

Also ive looked online for these valves and it would appear i need 1/2" version. There are a couple of the 'automatic valve, never bleed a radiator again variety' (which you may say is a good idea for me! ) but i can only find the following item code 6918 at http://www.bes.co.uk/products/114.asp that i feel is even close to what i need.

Any ideas or specific places i can look online?

Thanks again for your help and Merry Christmas.

p.s. sorry if im not allowed to post web addresses, im new to this.

 

[JohnD]

I found the automatic ones tend to drip.

if your system is clean and well inhibited (which you can do yourself) then it should not need much bleeding.

buy a new one at your local hardware store, plumbers merchant or DIY shed - it will be quicker than mail order

don't forget the radiator spanner/wrench/key

 

[Timmyturtle]

You wont need that spanner on rads of 1 1/2 yrs old.

Its just the need to get a new item the same as what has broken
turn off the valves,undo with a spanner slowly(with a catcher to collect the water)
The water will be under pressure to start with but will soon die down to a drip
And screw the new one into the rad,as quick as possible

If radiator has grills,you may need to undo a lower nut to drain some water out,remember to support the valve when undoing the nut

Use a dust sheet or similar on the floor to protect floor covering as you will get a few drips that may stain flooring

Dont do the operation when the rad is hot !

 

[loosemore]

Ive tried to get hold of the part required and all stockist keep giving me the same item as 'the only thing we stock'.

This items is far too big.

The hexagon that form the outer pary of the bolt is only 1/2 to 2/3 the size of a penny piece.

Ive taken a photo of the offending part and tried to add it below but sadly my IT skills are as bad as my plumbing!

 

[twgas]

is this more like your requirement . bes part no. 6917
(on your link page)

 

[JohnD]

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