Thermostatic Radiator Valve Leaking

[btctworld]

i have just taken off 2 rads downstairs to have some plastering work done although the valves are turned off at times they start to drip water out of them im guessing that because the room is really cold they are starting to open slightly

is there anything i can buy to screw onto the end of the trv to stop it from leaking any water onto the floor

cheers brett

 

[900se]

Youre' right about the cold triggering them - it's a 'defrost' setting. Some valves have an off - some go down to defrost only.

You should be able to screw the top off of the valve - and it will leave the body of the valve containing the thermostat. You should see a small pin that move in and out of the body of the valve depending on the outside temp - controlling the flow. The adjustment of the control you removed limits how far the pin moves out and so what you want to do is push the pin in as far as it will go, past the defrost position your cap it limited to.

New valves often have a closing cap to use instead of the control. It crews on the valve and forces the pin in all the way. You could try taking your control to a merchants and see if they have something that will suffice. Alternatively, some valves will let you fit a coin inside and so push the valve down further achieving the same.

Alternatively, with the valves shut as best you can at each end of the rad, loosen VERY slightly the nuts connecting both valves to the rad itself (have towels handy as they wil start to leak). Then unhook the rad and rotate it down away from the wall and so it's flat with the floor. Put something underneath to hold the weight and tighten the nuts. The rads then clear from the wall so you can plaster but still working.