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fionajd3 · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Location: N.Ireland

I have a leaking radiator upstairs..Apparently the valve needs replaced but (so far two) plumbers have been out .They can't find the "vent pipe" which they say should be over the small tank in the roofspace..Seems there may have been soms dodgy D.I.Y plumbing going on before I bought the house..
Anyway neither will touch it .
Any advice ? Where else could the vent pipe be?
Can they really not replace a valve without finding it ?
If there isn't one should I get one ?

Still leaking !

thescruff · Moderator Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 4179 Location: Bath

Wells there's a ten dollar question Rolling Eyes

Yes its possible to have no vent pipe.

Before commenting further, what is the make and model of the boiler, and how old.

fionajd3 · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Location: N.Ireland

It's a Warmflow boiler ..Can't find model no anywhere on it ..It's probably between 15 and 17 years old ..
Both (!) plumbers told me they needed to block the vent pipe before they could replace radiator valve ..the only other option was to drain the whole system apparently ..and they were reluctant to do that incase something went wrong and they got the blame ...

Any advice as to how to proceed?
Can't afford a whole house replumbing scenario !
but
Still leaking !

Yellowman · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 60 Location: Sussex

What they are imposing by capping the vent is so they can hold the system under vacuum and do the valve with the water still in the system.

If there is no vent then they can still do this.

Are you sure more than one plumber has given you the same advice. Seems odd to me that more than one plumber cant work out how to vacuum a system with no vent. Or for more than one plumber to tell you they dont want to drain down a system.

thescruff · Moderator Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 4179 Location: Bath

Tells em to freeze the pipe, you're sure they're plumbers

fionajd3 · Joined: 30 Apr 2008 Posts: 3 Location: N.Ireland

Thanks ..
I thought the first plumber was trying to wipe my eye ..That's why I got No. 2 out ...
I take it from what's being said that I should simply ring another (better!) plumber and explain up front that there's no vent pipe ..
I'd been quoted £60 to replace the radiator valve ( when thay thought I HAD a vent pipe ) Will anyone suggest a ballpark figure to replace radiator valve when there isn't one ..

Until last week I'd never HEARD of a ventpipe..Now I'm dreaming about them !

S.L

thescruff · Moderator Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 4179 Location: Bath

I suspect you do have a vent pipe, but it may be combined with the cold feed.

The plumber can turn both valves off and drain the radiator in a bowl, then he should be able to freeze the pipe, either with a machine or can of pipe freeze.

The price should be about the same, maybe an extra tenner for the freeze.

Yellowman · Joined: 03 Jan 2008 Posts: 60 Location: Sussex

Scruff did some of the really old systems have just the one pipe to fill the system and NO vent?

I have never seen this myself but have heard of it before.

Baxter · Joined: 13 Oct 2007 Posts: 18 Location: Bolton

Could be a primatic cylinder?............how many cold water storage tanks do you have?.......in any case, wouldn't it be simpler to just drain the system?

Baxt.

thescruff · Moderator Joined: 03 May 2003 Posts: 4179 Location: Bath