What Sort Of Fitting Is This

IrlMonk

Hi,
My heating system is losing pressure and when I checked around for leaks I noticed fittings that appear to be leaking.
They are elbows after the radiator valves that have a flathead screw on the underside. What are these screws for, they are like the screw head valves, because they don't appear to loosen or tighten.
And they appear to be leaking at several radiators.
Any help is much appreciated.

K.Flyer

Is there a chance of posting a picture of what you are describing. It could help us to identify the problem quicker.
Tnx

IrlMonk

Yes

Billy Bunting

IrlMonk wrote: »

Yes

Isolation valve

IrlMonk

Kewl, thanks.
Why are they dripping? The shutoff position is very fine. It's hard to stop the dripping completely.

Outkast_IRE

Have always found that type of valve to be a pain for leaking on heating systems, i dont see the point of them in that location either as the rad valves can double as an isolation valve, and how often would the rad valves themselves need changing maybe only once in 20 years all going well.

In my opinion anyway if there are several leaking you would be well advised to organise a plumber to drain the system down entirely and replace them everywhere in the house, if there are several leaking already the rest could follow shortly.

K.Flyer

Yep, maintenance valve, totally unnecessary on radiators.

Anyone remember this thread from a little over a year back...

Maintenance valves for Maintenance valves

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056892628/1/#post83454950

IrlMonk

Cheers Lads,
the rads upstairs in the chislers rooms do be cold a lot of the time.
when i bleed the rads no air comes out.
So i check the pressure (it does be below 1bar), fill the system then bleed the rads.
Then i fill the system again.
this is about twice a week.
and it's those maintenance valves which are dripping slightly.

IrlMonk

K.Flyer wrote: »

Yep, maintenance valve, totally unnecessary on radiators.

Anyone remember this thread from a little over a year back...

Maintenance valves for Maintenance valves

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056892628/1/#post83454950

Hahahahaha....quote from thread "Ah but if the maintenance valve had a maintenance valve you could have changed the maintenance valve with no fuss.

Ya didn't think of that, did ya???"

Another quote: "But then how do you change a maintenance valve? Should you put maintenance valves either side of your maintenance valves... and then what happens if you need to change them.. do you put maintenance valves either side of your maintenance valves maintenance valaves?" hahaha

corkgsxr

Are they leaking from the joint between radiator valve and maintenance valve?

Just change the washers in between

IrlMonk

no they appear to be dripping from the screw head. the joints are good

Egass13

Couldn't resist after reading that other thread !

IrlMonk

Egass13 wrote: »

Couldn't resist after reading that other thread !

hahahaha....that made my night...maintenance valves for maintenance valves for maintenance valves for maintenance valves

corkgsxr

IrlMonk wrote: »

no they appear to be dripping from the screw head. the joints are good

Definitely not just running down? Iv never seen them leak from the screw itself

K.Flyer

corkgsxr wrote: »

Definitely not just running down? Iv never seen them leak from the screw itself

Sure they can be like those fe@kin' ciculation pump valves we talked about earlier in the week, only not quite as bad.
O.p.
Best thing to do is get them all taken out and get rid of the problem once an for all.

IrlMonk

i put some kitchen towel around the joints to soak up any drips and the drips are still coming from the screw head!
almost sure the leak is from the screw

corkgsxr

K.Flyer wrote: »

Sure they can be like those fe@kin' ciculation pump valves we talked about earlier in the week, only not quite as bad.
O.p.
Best thing to do is get them all taken out and get rid of the problem once an for all.

Fair point.

Just change them all for standard swivel elbows.

Outkast_IRE

corkgsxr wrote: »

Definitely not just running down? Iv never seen them leak from the screw itself

I have seen them leak from there before mostly when installed on heating systems , never had bother with them on fresh water hot/cold systems. Must be one of the materials used in the seal or similar

corkgsxr

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

I have seen them leak from there before mostly when installed on heating systems , never had bother with them on fresh water hot/cold systems. Must be one of the materials used in the seal or similar

Iv never seen them on heating systems being honest just on hot/cold water