Heating Lost Pressure

[clueless456]

If there's any sign of corrosion it's been leaking for a while, although maybe not as fast. The corrosion will also make the nut harder to turn.

I tried tightening the nut. It wasn't that difficult to turn, but seemed to make the leak worse whichever way turned, even when tightened... I think maybe the pinhole leak is on the actual pipe and not the nut.

I have wrapped in tape, but still dripping... Is there anything else I can do temporarily to stop it dripping?

 

[clueless456]

The leak seems to be slightly worse now - Not sure if that's because I just increased pressure to the heating guage again..

I have run out of the black tape - Is there anything else I could use to stop the leak? Or is there any possible way to turn off the water supply to that pipe/radiator?

 

[brianmoooore]

No way to turn the water off to one radiator if the leak is before the valves. The only way you can stop it is to depressurise the whole system by using the PRV knob to let the water out. Note that there should be a chemical in the water to help prevent corrosion, and this chemical is being diluted every time you add fresh water to the system.
You've tried, now I think it's time to get a professional in.

 

[clueless456]

No way to turn the water off to one radiator if the leak is before the valves. The only way you can stop it is to depressurise the whole system by using the PRV knob to let the water out. Note that there should be a chemical in the water to help prevent corrosion, and this chemical is being diluted every time you add fresh water to the system.
You've tried, now I think it's time to get a professional in.

I had to remove some of the black tape to tighten the nut and have now run out of the black tape.

Is there any other kind of tape, or household item I could use to temporarily stop the leak until I can get a plumber to the property?

 

[DPG]

I had to remove some of the black tape to tighten the nut and have now run out of the black tape.

Is there any other kind of tape, or household item I could use to temporarily stop the leak until I can get a plumber to the property?

Get some self-amalgating tape. It's useful stuff to have in anyway. It's rubber, and once it's wrapped around something it forms a one piece rubber covering.

Stretch it slightly as you are wrapping it round.

 

[clueless456]

Get some self-amalgating tape. It's useful stuff to have in anyway. It's rubber, and once it's wrapped around something it forms a one piece rubber covering.

Stretch it slightly as you are wrapping it round.

Thank you.

I tied a rubber glove around it. I didn't turn the mains water off, but switched the heating off overnight and the dripping seems to have stopped overnight.

I have ordered something called Poxipol Epoxy putty glue and PTFE plumbers sealing tape, which will hopefully arrive tomorrow. Will that work? Is that the same as self-amalgating tape?

 

[DPG]

Thank you.

I tied a rubber glove around it. I didn't turn the mains water off, but switched the heating off overnight and the dripping seems to have stopped overnight.

I have ordered something called Poxipol Epoxy putty glue and PTFE plumbers sealing tape, which will hopefully arrive tomorrow. Will that work? Is that the same as self-amalgating tape?

Mains water won't affect it - the heating loop is isolated from it.

The putty and tape sound worth a try. The heating system isn't at as high a pressure as mains water so the leak will be easier to fix.

Let us know how you get on.

 

[clueless456]

Mains water won't affect it - the heating loop is isolated from it.

The putty and tape sound worth a try. The heating system isn't at as high a pressure as mains water so the leak will be easier to fix.

Let us know how you get on.

Thank you - Will do.

 

[Moley]

I have ordered something called Poxipol Epoxy putty glue and PTFE plumbers sealing tape, which will hopefully arrive tomorrow. Will that work? Is that the same as self-amalgating tape?

PTFE (sometimes known as thread tape) won't help. That's just for sealing threads. If you have a pin hole in the pipe then self amalgamating is the way to go.

 

[brianmoooore]

Self amalgamating tape is a stretch black rubber ribbon that isn't really sticky, but when you wind it around something the layers immediately start to melt together, and over the course of a few hours it will become one solid piece of rubber.
I doubt if self amalgamating tape on its own will completely stop a pinhole leak, but if you can get a hose clip (worm drive, Jubilee type) over it, it will.
Next question is why has the pipe developed a pinhole. This is probably because the inhibitor chemicals have disappeared over time, or were never added in the first place, and a particle of iron based debris, which was once part of the boiler or a radiator, has lodged itself inside the pipe and corroded through it.

 

[clueless456]

Thank you for the replies.

I will order some of the self-amalgamating tape as well.

I was thinking of using the Epoxy glue and then the plumbers sealing tape over the top of that? Would that work?

The bend in the pipe where the leak is coming from looks to be a bit rusty / corroded, so think that might have caused the leak.

The radiator key I ordered has arrived and the Epoxy glue and plumbers tape should arrive tomorrow. If I order the self-amalgating tape today, that should arrive next week.

Should the Epoxy glue on it's own work? And then using one of the tapes over the top of that for extra seal?

Any tips on the best way to try and fix the leak easily with the above would be appreciated.

 

[DPG]

Thank you for the replies.

I will order some of the self-amalgamating tape as well.

I was thinking of using the Epoxy glue and then the plumbers sealing tape over the top of that? Would that work?

The bend in the pipe where the leak is coming from looks to be a bit rusty / corroded, so think that might have caused the leak.

The radiator key I ordered has arrived and the Epoxy glue and plumbers tape should arrive tomorrow. If I order the self-amalgating tape, that should arrive next week.

Any tips on the best way to try and fix the leak easily with the above would be appreciated.

I'd wrap self amalgamating tape round it in several stretched layers. Then as Brian said, fit a jubilee clip type pipe clamp around it and tighten it.

Forget the plumbers sealing tape. I didn't realise you were meaning ptfe tape. That won't help here.

 

[nicebutdim]

I will order some of the self-amalgamating tape as well.

I'm sure if faced with a choice between paying for a plumber and having water damage to their property, your landlord is going to choose the former. Does the landlord even know about this issue? They won't thank you if matters become progressively worse and no one thought to inform them. This thread does not portray the actions expected of a responsible tenant and I hope, for your sake, the landlord never reads this thread posted on a public forum.

 

[DPG]

I'm sure if faced with a choice between paying for a plumber and having water damage to their property, your landlord is going to choose the former. Does the landlord even know about this issue? They won't thank you if matters become progressively worse and no one thought to inform them. This thread does not portray the actions expected of a responsible tenant and I hope, for your sake, the landlord never reads this thread posted on a public forum.

That is a very good point. Have you notified the landlord at all? That really should be the first thing you do.

If he ignores you or won't do anything then that's another thing. But you must report it.

 

[clueless456]

I'd wrap self amalgamating tape round it in several stretched layers. Then as Brian said, fit a jubilee clip type pipe clamp around it and tighten it.

Forget the plumbers sealing tape. I didn't realise you were meaning ptfe tape. That won't help here.

What about the Expoxy glue - Would that possibly work on it's own?

There is a very tight gap between the pipe and the wall... I was only able to use that black tape as a temporary measure, as the tape roll was small enough for me to wrap between the pipe & the wall.

 

[DPG]

What about the Expoxy glue - Would that possibly work on it's own?

There is a very tight gap between the pipe and the wall... I was only able to use that black tape as a temporary measure, as the tape roll was small enough for me to wrap between the pipe & the wall.

You can cut a length of amalgamating tape off the roll, so that you can get it behind the pipe.

I wouldn't use the Epoxy I don't think. The tape is easily removed, whereas the Epoxy may not be.

As above though, see what your landlord says.

 

[clueless456]

I'm sure if faced with a choice between paying for a plumber and having water damage to their property, your landlord is going to choose the former. Does the landlord even know about this issue? They won't thank you if matters become progressively worse and no one thought to inform them. This thread does not portray the actions expected of a responsible tenant and I hope, for your sake, the landlord never reads this thread posted on a public forum.

My landlords agents are extremely slow and take on average 1-6 weeks to reply, even when urgent.

 

[DPG]

My landlords agents are extremely slow and take on average 1-6 weeks to reply, even when urgent.

Did you inform the agent in writing? Keep this, and then if anything goes wrong you have something to fall back on.

 

[SJD]

Apologies for the digression, but all this reminds me of an issue with a rental property a few years back, I was there to fit a new consumer unit. The tenant was there to let me in before heading off to work, but cryptically told me he had put a board down in the bathroom to make access easier.

When I went in said bathroom after he had gone, I found the floor had mostly rotted, and what was left of it had such an incline that one side of the room was a few inches lower than the other side. There was a leak from the bathroom plumbing that had rotted the flooring including some of the joists. It transpired this had been going on for some years, but not reported. On discussing with the agent, it turned out this was likely the reason the tenant was always reluctant to have any work done.

Outcome was the whole bathroom had to be stripped out, new flooring fitted including joist repairs/replacements, then a complete new bathroom.

 

[DPG]

Apologies for the digression, but all this reminds me of an issue with a rental property a few years back, I was there to fit a new consumer unit. The tenant was there to let me in before heading off to work, but cryptically told me he had put a board down in the bathroom to make access easier.

When I went in said bathroom after he had gone, I found the floor had mostly rotted, and what was left of it had such an incline that one side of the room was a few inches lower than the other side. There was a leak from the bathroom plumbing that had rotted the flooring including some of the joists. It transpired this had been going on for some years, but not reported. On discussing with the agent, it turned out this was likely the reason the tenant was always reluctant to have any work done.

Outcome was the whole bathroom had to be stripped out, new flooring fitted including joist repairs/replacements, then a complete new bathroom.

Must have cost the landlord a fortune. Having said that he (or his agent) should have been doing regular checks.