Leaky radiator valve

[rosinante]

Recently moved home , new home has combi boiler, never had one before so thought I would get a plumber in to replace valve that was leaking from the stem, the plumber lives 50 yds away and gave me 10% discount,
system drained valve replaced , treatment added, tea and biscuits provided, bill arrived £141 £1.50 per minute before vat, glad he gave me discount, costs more than my dentist, is that normal ???
Definitely gonna bone up on draining and filling combi systems.
Chris

 

[brightspark]

Recently moved home , new home has combi boiler, never had one before so thought I would get a plumber in to replace valve that was leaking from the stem, the plumber lives 50 yds away and gave me 10% discount,
system drained valve replaced , treatment added, tea and biscuits provided, bill arrived £141 £1.50 per minute before vat, glad he gave me discount, costs more than my dentist, is that normal ???

a couple of hours work they normaly charge 60 an hour

 

[zx9]

About par for the course round here, that is if you can even get a plumber to come out at all.

 

[grim_d]

Seems a bit high to me for 1.5 hours work. About £25 there in parts depending on brands

I've been quoted £220 to run new pipes in for a bar mixer which I thought was a touch high but not outrageous.

Perhaps that's the going rate these days? I struggle to find tradesmen because I don't trust anyone, that is if you can even get someone interested in the job.. Probably just do it myself when the wifes at work one day.

 

[brightspark]

gonna change my job from electrician to doing plumbing I do a fair bit of it anyhows .just don't charge that

 

[gordon stephenson]

Quite a few radiator valves Particularly the older ones, If they are leaking from the stem (i.e.. gland ) can be changed without draining down anything, The seals are usually "O rings" Often some arrangement of backing the Valve right off so that it seals at the top of its travel. then pull out the unit holding the seal,

 

[gaz1]

gonna change my job from electrician to doing plumbing I do a fair bit of it anyhows .just don't charge that

dont bother it can be the biggest pain in the royalty and you cant just go home when you want to do as most systems need to be working before you leave

 

[the snooper]

Recently moved home , new home has combi boiler, never had one before so thought I would get a plumber in to replace valve that was leaking from the stem, the plumber lives 50 yds away and gave me 10% discount,
system drained valve replaced , treatment added, tea and biscuits provided, bill arrived £141 £1.50 per minute before vat, glad he gave me discount, costs more than my dentist, is that normal ???
Definitely gonna bone up on draining and filling combi systems.
Chris

Fancy not asking on here first there are loads of us that have done similar, if you watched the guy you will now know how easy it is

 

[brightspark]

i think I will ask the daughter for a few hundred quid . I've just taken 3 of her radiators off re valved them stripped and painted them for nothing just stripped the bathroom out gonna re plaster it fit walk in shower new bog and sink new floor and tile the lot even do sunk in ceiling lights , free

 

[the snooper]

i think I will ask the daughter for a few hundred quid . I've just taken 3 of her radiators off re valved them stripped and painted them for nothing just stripped the bathroom out gonna re plaster it fit walk in shower new bog and sink new floor and tile the lot even do sunk in ceiling lights , free

Good man, the way it should be for family

 

[Kayos]

I'd want that for a drain down and refill job

 

[rosinante]

I should have asked I know, lesson learnt , but I didn't ask a price thinkin a fifty quid job, it is the first time in my life I have used a plumber, probably the last as well , wife has pointed out a 6 ins dia stain on new carpet,
live and learn eh. It's just the combi boiler bit I couldn't do, I'll learn pdq. It can only be valve manipulation.
Chris

 

[the snooper]

I should have asked I know, lesson learnt , but I didn't ask a price thinkin a fifty quid job, it is the first time in my life I have used a plumber, probably the last as well , wife has pointed out a 6 ins dia stain on new carpet,
live and learn eh. It's just the combi boiler bit I couldn't do, I'll learn pdq. It can only be valve manipulation.
Chris

Claim for the stain dont pay for mistakes

 

[rosinante]

Thought about that but I just hear the words "you said you had a leak" I had turned the valves off before when the wife wanted the room decorated and it was also too hot for her, opening the valves revealed the leak closing them sealed it,
hey Ho

 

[Mee]

gonna change my job from electrician to doing plumbing I do a fair bit of it anyhows .just don't charge that

What did Del Trotter say? next year we'll be millionaires Rodney.

 

[angellonewolf]

combi boilers ive done a few valve changes most people dont know drain the rad down open the valve that you want to remove you will get about 1/4 of a bucket of water aprox go and look at the boiler and the pressure in the system should be 0 get a couple of towels put round the valve you want to remove remove the valve and replace you should only get about 1/4 of a cup amount of water it works the same as your house cold water mains turn off the mains tap and all the water stops unless you open 2 taps in the house

DO NOT REMOVE OR OPEN A 2ND VALVE OR YOU WILL LET THE AIR IN TO THE SYSTEM AND THIS RELEASES THE BACK PRESSURE

 

[ms08]

What did Del Trotter say? next year we'll be millionaires Rodney.

mwillionaires...... surely?

 

[hunter27]

One thing to remember with most combi boilers is that the heating isolation valves underneath the boiler often leak when they are disturbed if they haven't been used for some time (so don't touch them) a lot of boilers have valves specific to that model built in to the jig so a standard valve wont replace them.

If access to the rad valve is easy - make sure the heating system is cold and boiler is turned off, turn off both of the rad valves, using a dish and a towel crack the inner valve to radiator joint and when the tiny bit of water has come out slacken the bottom compression joint just a bit, spin valve to point away from rad and stuff a bit of cloth in the radiator hole to stop it glugging water out. Now it's easy to control the rest of the water from the system into a bucket, prepare your new valve and turn it off (you may be able to reuse the old tail and nut and olive but if not when the pressure has gone remove the valve and stuff a strip of rag in the pipe end while you cut off the old olive or the end of the pipe if there is spare under the floor.

Depending on the tail if there is no external hexagon to use a spanner you may need a large Allen key for inside the tail. If you intend to install more inhibitor and depending if your radiators air vent is 1/2"BSP, empty the radiator then tighten up your valve, remove the plug from the top of the radiator and open the air vent at the other end, I usually screw an iron 1/2" m&f elbow in and carefully pour the inhibitor in to it slowly to let the air out but a 15mm compression socket will screw in, point it up and use a small funnel.
Re fill your system to around 1 to 1.3 bar vent the rad and re-check the pressure.

I did my mates hall rad valve on Friday night, 15mm valve didn't have to replace the nut and tail, it took about 10 - 15 minutes probably lost about 3 to 4 pints of water from system but this can vary .

Ps make sure you know your refilling procedure , filling loop, filling key or built in valves before you drain down, be prepared, have a few spare rags about and a spare dish and bucket.
This only applies to a combi or sealed systems.

Hope this may save you money in the future.
pete

 

[rosinante]

Thank you Pete, interesting to know that inhibitor can be put into a rad, would never have thought of that, I wil be studying the Vaillant website for instructions on the boiler fill etc , thanks again
Chris

 

[Kayos]

I've just done a TRV swap, didn't drain it (or turn boiler off....)

Just rag and bucket and snatched it, exact same valve that had failed so reused both nuts and did it quick