newbie diyer..help...central heating leak

[nigpay]

Ok, so I know very little about DIY but having removed a radiator in our second bedroom to decorate (all went well) I felt suitably confident to do the same in the 3rd bedroom.

The radiator has been removed now for a few days. The boiler keeps losing pressure and there is a leak from the nut which is attached to the copper pipe. It only seems to leak when I refil the combi-boiler in order to have hot water.

I'm not sure what to do as I don't know enough about the different connections/valves/heating systems in general!

Does it sound to anyone like it just needs tightening?
If so, which way (I know..sounds stupid) but I know that you have to turn valves different ways on the radiators.

thanks for your help..and sorry
nigpay

 

[lazman54]

Hi its a simple fix ,but can be complicated , the simple fix is tighten the nut on the shut off valve , first use a mole grip to hold the valve then just tighten the nut using the appropriate spanner , make sure the mole grips are tight but not too tight or you will crack the valve , then recharge the system and check for leakage ,
complicated fix , if the leak is still there then you will have to drain the system ,undue the nut and valve wrap plumbers tape around the thread and tighten everything back up
good luck try the easy one firstjavascript:emoticon('')

 

[sooey]

 

[nigpay]

thanks lazman. ill have a go. gch is all new to me. first house, first diy. panicker at the best of times

thanks too sooey. very helpful.

 

[sooey]

Sorry, was laughing at lazmans tape round the thread advice.
If you do dismantle the joint and must use ptfe, wrap a bit round the front of the olive, not round the thread.

 

[nigpay]

ok thanks sooey...one question then...whats the olive?!

 

[CombustionGuy]

The bit left on the pipe between the nut and valve when you remove the valve

 

[sooey]

oh fook!

Just tighten the nut first.