Leaking radiator valve, plumbing tape and slowly dropping pressure.

[RafeDonson]

I've just rented a house and I've noticed one of the radiator valves was leaking as the pressure had dropped on the central heating to the point where it wouldn't work. So I put some plumbing - PFTP or whatever - tape on it, following a Youtube video.

This slowed down the leak, to the point where I only needed to refill it with the loop after a month. The video advised to add more tape if this happened, which I've done.

Thing is, is there any downside to this? Is adding too much tape going to be a problem? I'll mention the leak to the landlord when I next see him (I'll take out the tape and not mention I'd plugged it) - but is this a fix or am I just delaying the inevitable of the valve needing replacing?

 

[Simon F]

welcome along.

yes get the landlord to arrange for it to be properly sorted.
the tape is fine but,
ptfe tape is for threads as in, inside a fitting not used for external application??

 

[joni os]

Report leak to Landlord. If previous tenant also refilled system on regular basis any inhibiter will be greatly diluted and need topping up. Done properly the repair is simple and long lasting, but often a build up of lime scale will mean polishing spindle prior to repacking gland.

 

[RafeDonson]

Yes, I put the tape under the nut - it was the top nut leaking. I will mention it to the landlord.

 

[Best]

Can depend on what sort of valve you have, as there are some valves still out there with replaceable O rings to suit the particular valve.
Yours is likely to be a basic packing type valve and it might need replaced eventually. If it is that type, then in the meantime it might be possible to slacken the packing nut on spindle out & put a couple turns of ptfe into the packing & tighten the nut again.

 

[oz-plumber]

To save your backside if anything in the future goes wrong, I would be telling the Landlord that you have a leak.
I would not be telling him you tried to fix it.

If something goes pear shaped, you may be the one getting the blame and paying for the repairs - unless you're qualified to do the repair work.

 

[townfanjon]

Yep I could not agree more ^^^^^

 

[PlumbBobBob]

+2 ^^^^

 

[kris]

Welcome along Rafedonson to the UKPF ,
Personally I'd go with advice given as regards as call your landlord , but if you do try it yourself then make sure the leak is at the radiator side of the valve because if it's the nut on the copper then you'd need to drain the heating down to fix it where as if it's the rad side then simply close both valves , slacken one side and slowly let the radiator empty into a properly sized square tub / tray, remember to put sheets down as water may be black and when emptying rad slowly open the airing point to allow gravity in to do its job, as far as tape goes several wraps should suffice unless your taking the whole tail out of the rad , I put around 17 wraps on the tail, good luck mate,

 

[Sharp Point]

Welcome along Rafedonson to the UKPF ,
Personally I'd go with advice given as regards as call your landlord , but if you do try it yourself then make sure the leak is at the radiator side of the valve because if it's the nut on the copper then you'd need to drain the heating down to fix it where as if it's the rad side then simply close both valves , slacken one side and slowly let the radiator empty into a properly sized square tub / tray, remember to put sheets down as water may be black and when emptying rad slowly open the airing point to allow gravity in to do its job, as far as tape goes several wraps should suffice unless your taking the whole tail out of the rad , I put around 17 wraps on the tail, good luck mate,

17 wraps, that seems to be the norm for me nowadays too. I remember back in the day, it use to be only 10 wraps, but with more and more imported rads and valve, the quality of the threads cut on/ in the steel is absolutely ****e.

 

[Stigster]

17 wraps, that seems to be the norm for me nowadays too. I remember back in the day, it use to be only 10 wraps, but with more and more imported rads and valve, the quality of the threads cut on/ in the steel is absolutely ****e.

I found them to be so bad on occasion that I started carrying a 1/2" BSP tapered tapping tool to clear out or cut the threads properly. It's come in handy on quite a few occasions. I also use it to clear out dried on deposits and rust if I need to change a tail.