leaking valve advise needed

meath4sam

in the hot press there is a manual valve to turn off the rads i think its called a brass ball valve it the one with the lever vertical for open horizontal for closed, anyway been useing it alot lately as i need to turn to start the gas boiler which is another problem but it has started to leak from the handle where there is a nut holding the handle on. do i take handle off and tighting the nut undernite to fix it, do i need to drain the system to do this,hope not.

Joey the lips

It depends on the type of ball valve. Some you can tigthen some you cant

Sparkpea

sounds like the lever action ballvalves mainly seen on gas pipes but people use on water pipes too... dont think those ones can be tightened tho - post a pic of it please

meath4sam

will post a pic in the morning cheers

meath4sam

[IMG]http://[/img]

meath4sam

meath4sam

ok so been trying to post a pic and cant, in my profile there is a image in the album have a look at it.

Sparkpea

thats the gas valve as I would call it, I don't use them often so can't tell you much about them but I don't think you can tighten them up, perhaps someone else will be able to tell you more. good luck

slavetothegrind

nope you need to replace it!

standard 3/4" compression ball valve from any plumbers suppliers.

is this a feed from a small tank in the attic? if so you will need to isolate the feed into this or tie up the ballvalve, and drain it.

if you are not a confidant diyer might be best to get a plumber in, an rgii maybe to have a look at the boiler at the same time?

Billy Bunting

Lever ball valve around my manor....gota change it.

meath4sam wrote: »

anyway been useing it alot lately as i need to turn to start the gas boiler which is another problem.

Why must you turn it before starting the boiler ?

sanbrafyffe

spark is n valve.mainly used more in commercial plumbing systems but some do use in domestic.i try no to because people tend to use them as coat hangers lol.its true.i prefer them than gate valves to be honest.brilliant for the installation of a summer/winter valve,cold feed etc.why do u need to turn it to start the boiler is beyond me.no wonder its leaking with all the use its gettin.it will keep happening with all the valves unless u find out why u need to keep turning it

Sparkpea

Billy Bunting wrote: »

Lever ball valve around my manor....gota change it.



Why must you turn it before starting the boiler ?

gotta love these systems where the user/client has their own system of techniques to get things working!

me: ok so this doesn't work?
client: it does, what you need to do is flick this switch on then turn that knob round completely then back a little, then press this button and it works
me: WHATTTTTTTT???? thats not normal
client: its always been like that


lol..

meath4sam

Sparkpea wrote: »

gotta love these systems where the user/client has their own system of techniques to get things working!

me: ok so this doesn't work?
client: it does, what you need to do is flick this switch on then turn that knob round completely then back a little, then press this button and it works
me: WHATTTTTTTT???? thats not normal
client: its always been like that


lol..

thanks for all your help lads, when i turn the gas boiler on it just times out and doesnt ignite, but when i close this valve the boiler ignites then i open again after it ignites, the valve is a cut off to the rads in the house so i pressume i have to drain the system to change it, was thinking about putting a motorised valve in instead and control it from down stairs at the time clock. thanks agin for your help

meath4sam

if i replace it with a motorised valve do i need to put a manaul valve aswell for maintance or if the motorised valve fails is it standard practice to have the two or will one do?

Sparkpea

Motorised valve just is fine. Some people would put a manual valve at either side of the motorised valve to allow the valve to be isolated for changing, it's overkill and not needed but at the same time handy to have for the next plumber coming

DoneDL

Agree with Sparkpea, motorised valves have removable heads and they are generally the problem, every plumber can change a valve without draining down the system so don`t worry about isolation valves as they are just another expense and are likely to leak as much as anything else.