Dusty
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posted on 26/11/12 at 08:58 PM |
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Central heating leak
I was wondering if there was some sort of radweld type stuff I can put in a gravity fed central heating system. I have been insulating the floor of my
house by fixing expanded polystyrene sheet to the underside of the floorboards. Working in a foot high wriggle space below the floor is no fun! A T
joint which is a mix of soldered and compression copper joints is leaking. The system is 20+ years old and very crusty. I wouldn't dare get
spanners on the joints unless I was ready to drain down and do a big repair. It looks like it would fall apart. Very hard to get to and I will
probably have to drain the system and try to lift some floorboards although it would still be hard to get reasonable access.
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JoelP
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posted on 26/11/12 at 09:09 PM |
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The crud on the join is the minerals left behind by the leaking water evapourating. The T cannot be a mix of solder and compression. The solder joins
will almost certainly be ok. You need to drain down, undo, clean with wire wool, then either wrap a layer of PTFE around the olive, or smear a soft
sealing compound onto it. I prefer one called jet blue. Then tighten gentle - you can always tighten more later if it crys, however if overtightened
it will leak and then there is nothing you can do except start again!
Beware! Bourettes is binfectious.
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tegwin
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posted on 26/11/12 at 09:10 PM |
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Depends how bad the drips are...
You can get two part putty that you mix and squeeze over leaks... I had to use the stuff in my parents house because the pipe is half burried in a
wall and is very very old! Really not an ideal solution especially if like yours it is is hidden out of sight... Its not an expensive job to do
properly... If its your house and you are going to be living there for a while... I would do it properly myself...
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mookaloid
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posted on 26/11/12 at 09:12 PM |
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Fernox
Don't know how successful you will be but it's worth a try for less than £30
"That thing you're thinking - it wont be that."
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gremlin1234
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posted on 26/11/12 at 09:12 PM |
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fernox f4
b&q do their own version
- I have seen it work twice, - but it can make rad valves/ diverter valves stick
for an open system, just poor into a header tank,
I believe its essentially pva (white glue) that drys on contact with air
[Edited on 26/11/12 by gremlin1234]
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big-vee-twin
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posted on 26/11/12 at 09:37 PM |
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I had a leaky pipe and when I lifted the floorboard there was no way of getting to the problem.
So I tried the sealant that goes in the water from fernox, three heating seasons on and it still not leaking
Duratec Engine is fitted, MS2 Extra V3 is assembled and tested, engine running, car now built. IVA passed 26/02/2016
http://www.triangleltd.com
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watsonpj
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posted on 26/11/12 at 09:41 PM |
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Dusty
can't help with the plumbing but as for your comment
quote:
I have been insulating the floor of my house by fixing expanded polystyrene sheet to the underside of the floorboards. Working in a foot high wriggle
space below the floor is no fun!
I did this last year but with spaceblanket and plastic mesh to hold it in place and I'd say stick with it as its toast in here this year
cheers Pete
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cliftyhanger
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posted on 26/11/12 at 10:26 PM |
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And 20 years is nothing for a heating system, many are 40+. if a compression joint, do as joel suggests. If you feel lucky you could try undoing a
little and retightening without draining down. The trick is to support the joint so it doesn't move, and plumbing is always in difficult areas.
(I an ever so thankful for the copper push fit stuff. It has saved me days of work sometimes...)
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Dusty
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posted on 27/11/12 at 12:19 AM |
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Thanks for the suggestions. I will clean it all up, try to identify exactly where the leak is and give it an eighth of a turn. Add better supports
(mostly just hangs from the underside of the rads) and add some fernox. It really will be a pig to actually do genuine plumbing on, even with push
joints. I hope I don't have to have the floor up.
Insulation is now 3/4 done, 2 inch polystyrene, and it no longer feels like the floor sucks the heat out of my feet and shins. That's also the
reason for disturbing the pipes to insulate them with space blanket tape, foil and bubble wrap. And also why the joint is leaking in the first place
probably.
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RichardK
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posted on 27/11/12 at 12:48 PM |
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Personally I wouldn't touch it and just chuck the fernox in, only if that didn't work would I even think about getting a spanner on it.
Hope you get it sorted
Cheers
Rich
Gallery updated 11/01/2011
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owelly
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posted on 27/11/12 at 12:59 PM |
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I'd want to do the job properly which would involve getting to the joint, and replacing the T if need be. If you don't want to drain the
system, buy a freeze kit. I've worked live with those flexi repair push-fit things to fix frost damage. You can only get soaked to the skin
once.
http://www.ppcmag.co.uk
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