Towel Radiator leak - complete plumbing dummy!

[Bek2017]

Hi all

I have a heated towel rack in my kitchen. I noticed recently that all the paint is peeling off the top and cracking down the length of the radiator. The white surface is stained with dark radiator water and the whole thing looks god awful.

I want to repaint it, but am assuming that the paint peeling/cracking is because of a (tiny, dribbly, barely-noticeable) leak, and I'm not painting anything until the leak is fixed. The leak is coming from the very top of the radiator. Photos attached.

I fully admit that I have no plumbing knowledge whatsoever. I don't have a clue what I'm doing. I'm willing to have a go at fixing whatever the issue. I'm also willing to hire a plumber to fix it for me, but if it's a small job I'd rather save the £££ and do it myself.

Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[Stigster]

Hi there. Provided the valves that turn off the towel rail work ok (they are usually fine but no promises until you try them!) this is quite an easy fix. You'll need a 1/2" vent and plug from any plumber's merchant CenterRad plug & vent kit | Plumb Center.

You will also need a vent key Regin REGQ615 radiator bleed keys (Pair) | Plumb Center and an adjustable spanner plus a sponge or cloth to soak up the small amount of water that might escape but there should be very little.

Close the valves off both sides of the rad (flow and return) and use the vent key to open the vent on the top right. You may get a small amount of water from here but it'll literally be an egg cup full (or even none at all) as long as the valves into the rad are closed properly.

If the water stops coming out of the vent you can then use the adjustable spanner to remove the vent and plug. They turn anti-clockwise to remove. Clean any muck off the top of the rad and the thread inside with a bit of rag or something. The new vent and plug will have a rubber seal so just put them in hand tight and then nip it up a quarter of a turn with the spanner.

Make sure your new vent is closed with the vent key and open the valves on the flow/return pipes again. Check for leaks at top. If the rail is full of air then you'll need to bleed it through the vent until all the air is expelled and top up the pressure on the boiler to around 1.5 bar. If it's a gravity fed system it will fill up by itself as you bleed air.

Any more questions just ask.

 

[Harvest Fields]

For the price of towel radiators nowadays I would replace it.

 

[king of pipes]

If funds are available get it replaced , if not purchace a new airvent and plug isolate the valves undo the air vent and capture the water with a towel it should slow and stop within seconds you can then remove the leaking vent and plug clean off any rust or old paint and replace with the new ones you can then turn the valves back on vent again thats it apart from preping the towel rail and repainting it . Kop

 

[Old Account]

Definitely replacing in my opinion. Nowadays the towel rads aren't that expensive anymore. However, please make sure you will buy the right size and width otherwise you will slightly struggle with valves. Most likely you'll need to replace the, anyway if you cannot find the right size of radiator. If you cannot find the rad you will need to drain the system down to replace the valves and alter the pipework slightly. If you don't feel comfortable enough to do it on your own better of seeking a professional

 

[Christopher buzzard]

With a towel rail being in a bathroom I've had it before that the condensation from showering/bathing had got behind the paint and caused it to blister. So not necessary a leak but I personally would just change it.

 

[oz-plumber]

The towel rad is most probably powder coated.
( spray on paint then oven baked )
Not something you can touch up.

It would be cheaper to find a replacement towel rail than have the existing one sand blasted and re -powder coated.

But if you can't find a matching towel rail, it may be cheaper to have the current one re-done than pay someone to do the piping alterations and fitting of the new towels rail