Plumbing question

rjsterry

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TheBigBean said:

monkimark said:

I doubt it would do any harm but probably won't help either, it's the valve inside that gets jammed, not just the sticking up (or not) bit of pin.
Have you freed it and it got stuck again? Once it's open you shouldn't need to close it again should you?

I have released old stuck valves by taking off the thermostat and endlessly tapping the valve. Last time I thought I had a stuck valve and duly tapped away at it for ages before trying to drain the radiator and finding it was full of rusty sludge (rad at the bottom of the stairs so I guess it all settled there over the summer)

I am not a plumber so not sure how useful any of the above is.

It seems to get stuck up (on) which is fine for winter. I have freed it, so it is working, but I think it will get stuck again. The issue is that if it is stuck, it is the plastic bit of the TRV that takes the strain when trying to turn it off. That's now broken so I need a new one which is fine, but pointless if it's going to keep getting stuck.

Ideally, I would get a new valve as it doesn't look great, but one of the hassles of London is I imagine that would cost £300+.

It's annoying because it is less than five years old.

How old is the radiator and pipework? If it is gunged up, it may be more cost effective to get the system flushed out as part of a full service, rather than just changing a TRV.

My pipework is five years old, but it is part of a much old communal system. Nonetheless, it can isolated and presumably cleaned, but that doesn't sound much easier. I'll see how it goes. As it currently has no head it is easier to test the pin.

Ah. Communal heating would definitely be more tricky. I was thinking that as a large part of the cost for a plumber is the call out charge, it would be better to get them to spend a day properly sorting it than a 2hr call out x 3 to temporarily fix a recurring problem.

Presumably your building management have some kind of maintenance contract for the heating system. If it is sludge and their lack of cleaning the system is damaging your rads and TRVs that might be something to pursue (if you have the patience).

TheBigBean

rjsterry said:

TheBigBean said:

rjsterry said:

TheBigBean said:

monkimark said:

I doubt it would do any harm but probably won't help either, it's the valve inside that gets jammed, not just the sticking up (or not) bit of pin.
Have you freed it and it got stuck again? Once it's open you shouldn't need to close it again should you?

I have released old stuck valves by taking off the thermostat and endlessly tapping the valve. Last time I thought I had a stuck valve and duly tapped away at it for ages before trying to drain the radiator and finding it was full of rusty sludge (rad at the bottom of the stairs so I guess it all settled there over the summer)

I am not a plumber so not sure how useful any of the above is.

It seems to get stuck up (on) which is fine for winter. I have freed it, so it is working, but I think it will get stuck again. The issue is that if it is stuck, it is the plastic bit of the TRV that takes the strain when trying to turn it off. That's now broken so I need a new one which is fine, but pointless if it's going to keep getting stuck.

Ideally, I would get a new valve as it doesn't look great, but one of the hassles of London is I imagine that would cost £300+.

It's annoying because it is less than five years old.

How old is the radiator and pipework? If it is gunged up, it may be more cost effective to get the system flushed out as part of a full service, rather than just changing a TRV.

My pipework is five years old, but it is part of a much old communal system. Nonetheless, it can isolated and presumably cleaned, but that doesn't sound much easier. I'll see how it goes. As it currently has no head it is easier to test the pin.

Ah. Communal heating would definitely be more tricky. I was thinking that as a large part of the cost for a plumber is the call out charge, it would be better to get them to spend a day properly sorting it than a 2hr call out x 3 to temporarily fix a recurring problem.

Presumably your building management have some kind of maintenance contract for the heating system. If it is sludge and their lack of cleaning the system is damaging your rads and TRVs that might be something to pursue (if you have the patience).

I'm just not sure it can be sludge although I really don't know much about the subject. I'm at the top and it is the radiator furtherest away from the supply. Finding a good plumber is something I wish I could do in general.

masjer

If you open the bleed valve on the top of the rad, you could check the colour of the water, clear-clearish and the system is probably clean. Lots of sludge can leave the lower part of the rad with cold spots.
As a stop gap, position the pin so that the rad is as hot as you'd want.

Munsford0

TheBigBean said:

Ideally, I would get a new valve as it doesn't look great, but one of the hassles of London is I imagine that would cost £300+

'kinell! I should add up all the money I've saved over the years with my DIY plumbing...

(we'll gloss over the impromptu water feature in the newly carpeted lounge when I refilled the system with the radiator missing and one of the valves wide open)

rjsterry

That's not even a day rate.

rick_chasey

Depends on how you value your own time

TheBigBean

rick_chasey said:

Depends on how you value your own time

I earn more than the minimum wage, but I would spend an hour to save £11.

rjsterry

rick_chasey said:

Depends on how you value your own time

All very well if you actually have the cash.

monkimark

I'm happy to tackle small DIYplumbing jobs, I'd only waste that time watching shite on TV anyway. But a professional will do it in half the time and won't have to leave the heating off overnight because he didn't have a spare olive after Screwfix had shut.