Stupid stupid bleed valve leak - wet and bruised!!!

[LauraSeal]

Hiya

Can't believe this is happening! I have a rad in the bathroom which is leaking from the bleed valve. Quite a bit (i've switched rad off, so why hasn't the level dropped below valve and leak stopped?). It is a sealed system, brand new ariston combi boiler. I can't seem to tighten or even undo the bleed valve even though it was a fairly new rad and was fine when plumbers bled it when the new boiler went in before christmas), as the leak must have been going on for a few weeks its rusted. (there is a radiator cover, yuk, so I only just saw it.) Am in process of retiling floor, so now some wood floor underneath is damp, and my fingers are bruised from trying to tighten it with stupid bleed key.

Any suggestions as to how to correct this and what tools i need? Someone said an allen key and some PTFE tape?

I'm going to take off the radiator cover (even though it is built on and this means loads of work and exposing different walls to my recently redecorated bathroom, argh!) I really don't want to have to pay out for a new rad and plumber, I've just had to spend 5K on a new roof, new boiler and new floor. And I'm broke!

Young, poor and sick of responsible home ownership...

Laura

 

[kevplumb]

did you turn both valves off

ptfe might work

 

[LauraSeal]

wee-ell...I only have one main valve on the right, so I've turned that off and its gone cold, but doesn't seems to be draining out - at least its gone cold anyway though, does that help?

Currently I'm more concerned about actually getting the bleed valve out in order to re-seal it! It seems impossible.

ARGH.....

Laura

 

[ChrisR]

If you take out the bleed vent without turning the rad off completely first, water will hit the ceiling.

There will be a valve at both ends of the rad. One will have a knob you can turn - clockwise is off. If that valve has numbers on it, tell us what shows when knob fully clockwise - might be a "0" or a star thing representing "frost setting".
The valve at the other end will have a cap over it. That may have a small screw in the middle. Undo screw if there is one and pull cap off vertcally. That may be very hard - sometmes you have to get a big flat bladed screwdriver and lever the thing off.

Under the cap there will be a shaft, top of which is shaped so you can turn it with a spanner/ plers. Turn clockwise until it stops -make it tight.

Come back then...

 

[ChrisR]

If both valves really are off, water should stop coming out of the vent. At this point it may well be worth getting a mate to help - some plumbers have very strong hands!
Assuming you have no joy getting the vent undone, tell us what it looks like. Is it on the end, top, back?

Does it look anyting like these:

Then you need one of these:

which is much better than these:

 

[kevplumb]

do you have a twin entry valve

 

[ChrisR]

Your turn to find a piccy Kev!

Beat you

 

[LauraSeal]

Ah, you guys are brill! Thanks for the pics, that's really helpful!!

Just got back into the office, and yes, over the wekend I had noticed the other screwy-bit on the bottom left side (the technical term you know) had a plastic cap on but it did seem to turn, so I turned it off. But it's still leaking,(I obviously didn't do it properly, or just went round in circles!) so tonight I will try your suggestion for getting that one off and then having go with some pliers and turning it off properly, and then hopefully the water will drain down below the bleed valve and I can have a go at sorting it out! Will also source one of the better keys. And ask my Dad to bring his tool kit. And a strong bloke!

At least my finger-bruising has gone down a bit!!

No doubt I will be back shortly when I can't get the bleed valve off at all in my ladylike weakness . There are two on my rad, is it possible just to seal up the leaking one from the outside and use the spare one in case of trapped air or for pressure release instead?

Cheers,

Laura

 

[ChrisR]

The
"the other screwy-bit on the bottom left side (the technical term you know) had a plastic cap on "

...is a rad valve not a bleed point - those are at the top. You may have a double rad with a bleed point in each half, or you may mean a bung both ends at the top, though normally you'd only have a bleed screw in the middle of one of them (like first pic, right). If that's the case the whole bung can be taken out and replaced.

 

[LauraSeal]

Sorry, I wasn't very clear in that last post was I? (I am a forum virgin) - yes, the left hand rad valve at the bottom has the plastic cap, (as does the right one but that's much bigger and has the little numbers and snowflake as you said and is what I normally use to turn off/down a rad on its own not as part of the system) but my turning the left hand one with the little cap on doesn't seemed to have turned it off, as the right-hand bleed valve (at the top of double rad, inside back plate, one on both ends) is STILL BL**DY leaking...

So, I reckon I need to try your suggestion of taking plastic cap off left hand rad valve and doing up really tight with pliers to stop any water coming in from sealed system so I can drain down below the bleed valve and attempt to remove it with the better key you mentioned (yes its the square bleed point, pic on the right like you said). Have I got it right? Or am I going to flood my street? (Knowing my luck I will - I had a gas leak outside my front door this morning!!!!!)

Although the bleed point was sooooooooo stiff with the other key I couldn't seem to tighten or untighten it before even a little bit (no chance of water hitting the ceiling!), so god knows if I will be able to take it out and re-seal or replace it or whatever at all!

I will let you know how it goes...and whether I blow up and just throw it all out the window and get cold in the bathroom instead!

I wil probably need more help in the meantime!

Cheers,

Laura

 

[ChrisR]

Yes.

 

[LauraSeal]

Just for your info, have finally sorted it out!!!! Turned off the lefthand valve, water still coming out of bleed valve, realised it was cos pressue was too high, drained the rad a bit, removed bleed valve, out back in with PTFE tape, opened valves, all working!!!!!

Thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Laura