Radiator valves and stuck nuts

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Radiator valves and stuck nuts
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dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Oct 24, 22 3:15 pm Post subject:
can you do a photo of it?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15967

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 22 7:10 am Post subject:
Before doing too much I would suggest a large bowl under the offending item, just in case.

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Tue Oct 25, 22 8:06 am Post subject:
If I've read right, you've not yet got the joint loose? In which case try heating it. If you've actually damaged the pipe, or if you want to fit a narrower radiator, it's not a major issue to extend the pipe; maybe fit an isolator valve in case of next time. Last time I was shopping, they came cheaper than straight through connectors.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 22 3:54 pm Post subject:

Lost my laptop charger

I dithered a bit, and then enabled by HL, thought maybe changing the pipes could work. And I do like a towel radiator....

So I risked taking the valve off with the radiator, have covered the end of the pipe with an isolation valve just in case, but so far so good. Shiny new radiator - tall and thin - on order.

In for a penny and all that...
Next daylight job is swapping the basin and bath taps over, I've decided to install braided hoses with isolation valves for future helpfullness, currently everything is straight into copper pipe.

Currently wondering about push-fit components, I've been using compression because that's more familiar.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9881
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 22 5:43 pm Post subject:
I'm a big fan of putting in an isolation valve at every opportunity. Saves a lot of hassle later.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Mon Oct 31, 22 8:12 pm Post subject:
Especially as the main stopcock is jammed (plumber didn't come back to quote) so it's a lot of running to the pavement outside to turn the main-mains tap off! Also I think I have a header tank in the loft, going on the distinct sounds of running water. Which means I need a ladder to get up there...

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46211
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 22 12:22 am Post subject:

isolating valves are ace, flexihose is wonderful stuff for taps

im not sure about push fit stuff, i know about wrenches and blowlamps, solder wherever practical and use compression where i need to

get access to loft void, check the tank/s, valves and anything else such as leaky roof, vermin, does it need more insulation, do the electrics look safe

that last one is probably the first to eyeball, finding a missing junction box cover or crumbly insulation with your hand is not fun

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15967

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 22 7:55 am Post subject:

I would second isolation valves. Husband fitted one to MILs toilet cistern after she tried to 'adjust' the ball cock and created a fountain which hit the ceiling and soaked her. SIL who lived close turned off the water and called husband, who got it temporarily sorted then put in isolation valve later. When we got there MIL was looking rather like a rather sorry drowned rat. My part was giving her a talking to about not trying to do work like that herself. Combination of talking to and getting soaked worked for once thank goodness.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9881
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 22 12:03 pm Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9881
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Nov 01, 22 12:07 pm Post subject:

so my late husband used push fittings to install the downstairs sink. And it gave way. I thought my son was running a lot of water.. when I went to investigate found he was not there, but the entire tank of hot water had emptied itself onto the bathroom floor - and if I had been asleep or away from home it would have carried on as the tank refilled itself from the mains.... we were ankle deep in hot water... fortunately a step down from the rest of the house so just that bathroom and utility were flooded.

Suffice to say not been keen on push fittings since....

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15967

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 22 6:50 am Post subject:
Funny to hear, but you must have been extremely upset at the time.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 22 9:59 am Post subject:
I have booked a plumber.... A few too many bits and pieces not quite going right. We're also going to cut off and remove the header tank I didn't know I had, apparently the result of corner-cutting when they first replaced a hot water cylinder with a boiler.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9881
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 22 11:15 am Post subject:

Mistress Rose wrote:

Funny to hear, but you must have been extremely upset at the time.

too right I was. This happened at about 11pm, took unli about 3 am before I had mopped it up, dragged ruined carpets out etc. The plumber was good and got to me at 10 am. which, with the water turned off means..
I didn't get a coffee until after 10 am

Hairyloon

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Posts: 15425
Location: Today I are mostly being in Yorkshire.

Posted: Wed Nov 02, 22 5:11 pm Post subject:
Given the damage caused by a pipe joint failure, and the fact that the supplier would be liable if it was due to the product, if push fit plumbing joints were not very reliable, then nobody would stock them. That said, they do need to be fitted correctly and they do seem to have a habit of pretending to be right when they're not.

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15967

Posted: Thu Nov 03, 22 8:13 am Post subject:

No coffee until after 10 am!!!! Disaster. Not good about the carpets either.

We got in one day from work, many years ago now when our son was quite young, and found a waterfall in our hall. A pipe had parted in the roof (it was a bungalow then) and was cascading down a crack in the ceiling. Luckily the crack was there or the whole ceiling would have come down. As it was it lifted all the parquet flooring and we had to replace it.

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