Leaking radiator

[Andy Pandy]

One of my radiators started leaking yesterday evening. Looks like it's around the thermostatic valve or the connection to the pipe below. Probably something simple like a washer. We've got central heating cover but the engineer may be a couple of days they say.

We had to bleed the radiator system last night to stop the leak, we turned the main water supply off and bled the lowest radiator in the house till it stopped.

We have an expansion tank in the loft (this is in addition to the cold water tank that feeds the hot water cylinder). I believe the expansion tank is used to refill the radiator system, is this correct? I've identified a stop tap from the rising main into the loft - so this is obviously the feed to the expansion tank, I've closed it.

So I presume it would now be safe to turn the water back on? Also would it be safe to use the boiler for hot water (not heating obviously). Or does it use the same circuit for hot water as for the radiators, or does it depend on the type of system I have?

TIA, Andy

[Dave Baker]

Obviously? How do you know it feeds the small tank and not the large one or both? Go into the loft and look.

The small loft tank feeds the whole heating circuit - boiler, rads and therefore the heating coil inside the immersion tank. The large one feeds the immersion tank and often everything else, taps, toilet etc, other than potable water from the main.

[Roger Mills]

How much water did you 'bleed' out of the radiator in order to stop the leak? If this was gallons rather than a pint or so, the primary circuit (including the boiler, radiators and indirect coil in the HW cylinder) will not be able to operate safely and must *not* be used until the leak is fixed and the system re-filled.

As someone else has said, are you *sure* that you've only turned off the feed to the F&E tank? If this is a common feed for both tanks (it often is!), the main header tank won't refill if you use any of the previously heated hot water in the HW cylinder. If in doubt, tie up the ball valve on the F&E tank, and turn the feed back on.

[Andy Pandy]

expansion

Sorry, I worded that badly. The only thing in the loft that uses water is the expansion tank. The cold water tank is in the airing cupboard.

other than

Yup - thanks. I've isolated the expansion tank and all seems OK...

-- Andy

[Andy Pandy]

expansion

circuit

cylinder) will

It was gallons. I played it safe and switched the boiler off, and the CH/HW controls. We have an electric immersion heater so we can use that for hot water.

previously

Yes, I've tested it, the main tank is refilling but the radiator system is not, so think I'm OK. Thanks.

-- Andy