Radiator Leaking at a Joint
A damp patch or drip at the point where the valve meets the radiator..
A damp patch or drip at the point where the valve meets the radiator.
What is actually going on
A damp patch or drip at the point where the valve meets the radiator.
The realistic causes, in order
A failed valve tail joint or worn olive on the compression fitting A perished valve gland leaking around the spindle when the valve is operated Corrosion of the radiator itself at the tapping, which is a replacement rather than a repair
What we test on site
Exactly which of the three points is leaking, with the joint dried and observed Whether the radiator body is sound around the tapping System pressure and inhibitor after any drain-down for the repair
Questions we get asked
Why does a radiator leaking at a joint affect some radiators and not others?
A failed valve tail joint or worn olive on the compression fitting
What normally puts a radiator leaking at a joint right?
Joint remakes and gland repacks are straightforward; where the radiator body has corroded we say so rather than patch it.
Is it safe to keep using the system with a radiator leaking at a joint?
Overtightening a leaking compression joint often makes it worse by distorting the olive. Doing it properly means draining the section and remaking the joint.