Question for any plumbing DIY-ers.

[IronGiant]

One of the (half inch?) copper pipes that connects to the hot water
radiator in my bathroom has a VERY SLIGHTLY leaking join, probably
creating one drip of water every two hours or so (I'm thankful it's
such a small amount!).

On looking at it closely it must have been like that for some time as
there is patchy blue surface corrosion below the join, I've just never
noticed it before (never looked either).

Short of calling out the plumber to repair it, is there anything I can
do? Perhaps there is something that I can put on the join to seal it?

I don't have any plumbing skills, but am okay at fixing things.


Thanks

[RedOktober]

Chemical Metal?

[GBH]

You can get pipe leak sealer like this

http://www.screwfix.com/prods/23614/Plu ... eak-Sealer

That will do the job though it does recommend lowering the pressure in the system until its dried. You might very well be ok though as you've got a very low rate of dripping. I sealed a fairly large crack in a radiator pipe with it years ago without dropping the pressure though it did take 3 or 4 layers.

It's not ideal admittedly but it works. If you fancy tackling dropping the pressure in your system, you know where the system drain valve is and you're confident how to re-pressure it after then theres no harm in you doing it. Boilers though are outside my area of experience (though I did re-plumb everything in my kitchen and bathroom I didn't do the boiler)

Hope that helps

G

[aureole]

IANAP, but I don't think you need to repressurise the system unless it's a sealed system. If you've got an open-vented system (ie, there's a small expansion tank next to your cold-water tank in the loft) you don't need to repressurise.

You can get a lot of quick-fix solutions, or you could remove and reattach using jointing compound/PTFE tape, but I'm guessing it may be a good idea to find a friendly plumber that doesn't charge a huge call-out fee and get them to do it.

[nige]

You need some of this:



Fernox Superconcentrate leak sealer. We use this at work, no draining required, works with both sealed and open systems, makes no mess and takes about fifteen minutes to apply.

To use, you simply add it to your system via a radiator's bleed point. You isolate the radiator at both valves, remove the bleed nipple of the radiator and add the leak sealer using a cartridge gun. Once this is done, you reinsert the bleed nipple, switch the radiator on and run the heating. The leak sealer will work its way around the heating system sealing any small leaks it comes across.

[IronGiant]

Thanks for the suggestions so far. Nice to have a few options.

[kalmar]

Another option: just get a butane gas torch and a stick of solder. (I assume you're talking about a soldered joint that's leaking)

[IronGiant]

Another option: just get a butane gas torch and a stick of solder. (I assume you're talking about a soldered joint that's leaking)

I think it's soldered, hard to tell.

Any particular type of solder? The only solder I have in the house is for soldering components to PCBs.

[Mayhem]

If the join is ever so slightly leaking then yes, as above, you should only need to apply a bit more sealant to keep things nicely ticking over.

[IronGiant]

Ta. The simpler the better as far as I'm concerned.

[kalmar]

Another option: just get a butane gas torch and a stick of solder. (I assume you're talking about a soldered joint that's leaking)

I think it's soldered, hard to tell.

If it's two copper pipes and there are no nuts / threaded parts involved, then yes, it's soldered.

Any particular type of solder? The only solder I have in the house is for soldering components to PCBs.

Doesn't really matter, although it's easier to use a thicker solder for a job like this, I forgot to mention that you'll be needing some flux paste as well though.

[IronGiant]

Ta.

Would the radiator need to be drained first?

[gilesgoat]

Britain never stops to amaze me at times.

Copper pipes ... copper is a material that in Italy would cost you an
eye and a kidney to buy it ..

Nowadays everything is replaces with Teflon pipes that is also easely
sealed and joined by means of a kind of "electric heated clamp", you
clamp the parts you wish to join press a button, job done.

Metallic pipes are nearly entierely disappeared plus teflon is lot lighter
it never gets rot, it can be shaped and bent easely, it's lot more bacterial safe/etc.

Well of course we have Super Mario you know so we are more advanced in plumbing

[kalmar]

Ta.

Would the radiator need to be drained first?

Yes.

[kalmar]

Britain never stops to amaze me at times.

Copper pipes ... copper is a material that in Italy would cost you an
eye and a kidney to buy it ..

Nowadays everything is replaces with Teflon pipes that is also easely
sealed and joined by means of a kind of "electric heated clamp", you
clamp the parts you wish to join press a button, job done.

Metallic pipes are nearly entierely disappeared plus teflon is lot lighter
it never gets rot, it can be shaped and bent easely, it's lot more bacterial safe/etc.

Well of course we have Super Mario you know so we are more advanced in plumbing

It won't be teflon, it'll be polyurethane or polybutylene or something like that.
Copper isn't used here any more either (for the last 10-15 years or so), so I don't think this is really a valid argument for your "britains are weird" world-view
There's no reason to rip it out if it still works though.