Hi there! Had some decorators in lately and they accidentally broke my Radiator valve. I don't mind really as I needed to replace it anyway.. The only problem is I don't know where to get this type from.. As the copper pipe seems tiny?
Radiator valve broken.
- Thread starter PlumberInTheMaking
- Start date
Any merchants or diy shed will stock these you need a 10mm lockshield, get one with a drain point included if you are short of drain points, and dont use grips to put the new one on like the decorators!
They used horrible grips! Bent it in seconds, made mints meat out of it. Thankyou, will order one now. I don't want to make a new thread so remind me, how do I turn off the water to the radiator? And what tool should I use for the job?
Eww just noticed the bent pipe, i would usually replace the bent bit of pipe but as your a diyer you might not have the skills needed and might get away with leaving it if not to restrictive, depending on what boiler/system you have will indicate how you need to drain/what valves if any need to be turned off and for gods sake use some nice adjustables or a spanner! So what boiler have you got? Tanks in loft?
The pipe has been bent for years, the bed is near it! :O I have some nice spanners with a protective piece of leather on them. The boiler is a baxi Solo. I'd drain the rads but I don't trust these rads as everything else in this has house been built wrong! I've done my level two in plumbing but who better to ask than professionals? We have two black tanks in the loft, never actually seen them, just know the exist.
Turn boiler off first! Isolate small tank in loft and drain down opening vents upstairs or turn water off at stopcock. Then when drained replace! Personally i would bung it or snatch it but you might not be ready for that just yet 
Turn boiler off first! Isolate small tank in loft and drain down opening vents upstairs or turn water off at stopcock. Then when drained replace! Personally i would bung it or snatch it but you might not be ready for that just yet
That place gives me the creeps! Can I just tie up the float-valve and hang it up? There is the red stopcock at the 'immersion heater' if that would save me going up there?
Looking at that pipe I think it may be smaller than 10mm. Could be 8mm. Tricky to tell from a photo. But be aware microbore copper pipe comes in 6mm 8mm and 10mm diameter all were at one time were popular.
As it is the outside diameter specified you might even have a drill bit to compare. Or put an adjustable spanner to be a tight fit on the pipe then measure it.
The red valve may a balancing gate valve on the primary coil or even a gate valve for the main cold water tank feed to the cylinder. I would leave those alone. If you actually have a gate valve on the feed from the expansion tank then that would do it. It would usually be only 15mm size.
Be aware that gate valves are notorious for failing with age and not shutting off 100%. You would know because the F&E tank will start to fill when you are draining. Tying up the ball valve is satisfactory.
As it is the outside diameter specified you might even have a drill bit to compare. Or put an adjustable spanner to be a tight fit on the pipe then measure it.
The red valve may a balancing gate valve on the primary coil or even a gate valve for the main cold water tank feed to the cylinder. I would leave those alone. If you actually have a gate valve on the feed from the expansion tank then that would do it. It would usually be only 15mm size.
Be aware that gate valves are notorious for failing with age and not shutting off 100%. You would know because the F&E tank will start to fill when you are draining. Tying up the ball valve is satisfactory.
It's about the size of a pen. Decent sized one too. I'd say maybe a 10mm, but it's a hard bet.
Maybe a daft question, but if the pipe was bent before, whats wrong with the valve? Has the cap got lost or something?
John
John
The valve itself was turned off before the decorators came in, and they tried to turn it back on for me.. But unfortunately they snapped the top of the valve so it's permanently off, that's my guess anyway. The heaters are boiling inside and it's the only one cold. We bled it a few times, balanced the heating ect.
Where has it snapped?
If you mean the decorators smashed the plastic cap that originally was on there, then fair enough....but all it did was to turn that brass spindle anyway. Has anyone tried to turn it with pliers?
I've never known one of these spindles to snap off, but I guess there's always a first time.....!
John
I've never known one of these spindles to snap off, but I guess there's always a first time.....!
John
Turn the spindle anti-clockwise with some grips or a spanner for now to open valve and heat rad.
[quote="PlumberInTheMaking";p="2945947It's about the size of a pen. Decent sized one too. I'd say maybe a 10mm, but it's a hard bet.[/quote]
So use a spanner as mentioned like a caliper measuring tool.
One other thing what has actually broken? If just the plastic cap you can get them on their own.
universal caps
So use a spanner as mentioned like a caliper measuring tool.
One other thing what has actually broken? If just the plastic cap you can get them on their own.
universal caps
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