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Central Heating

Tightening up tail valve on towel rail

Anonymous user 23/02/2024 - 3.09 PM

I have fitted a new towel rail in my bathroom on one side at the bottom of the towel rail where the tail goes in it is leaking?? I have put the Pte tape on correctly the right way?? And have also changed the valve but still leaks?? The valves I bought from b&q are not Allen key tight there the ones with a spanner insert to tighten up?? What am I doing wrong?? How do I tighten it up more ?? Or have I cross threaded the valve into the towel rail is this possible?? Or do I buy a complete different valve head??

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3 Answers

west yorkshire gas solutions ltd

Rating: 5 out of 5
Halifax
When tightenening valve tails i always do 15 full turns of ptfe and the a layer of jointing compound with a small brush or finger this should be suffiecent to seal for years unless the raditor has been crossthreaded. You will know if it is crossthreaded as there will be a thin shard of steal that has come away from the radiator.Hope this is helpfull
Answered30 June 2017
6

KHW Plumbing & Heating

Rating: 5 out of 5
Bristol
It is possible that you may have cross threaded the valve tail into the towel rail although you would have noticed restriction quite early whilst threading it in. It's more likely that you haven't used enough PTFE tape. I would apply between 20 and 25 revolutions. Close the valves off, drain the towel rail, remove the 'tail' which threads into towel rail, reapply the PTFE and put back together.
Answered1 May 2017
4

Anonymous user

Hi there I would turn off both sides of the radiator. Drain down that radiator take out the rad tail and re PTfE it about 20-30 times making sure it's nice and thick . You can also wipe it with jointing compound that will help. When you put the tail back in you should feel it tight from the start then you know there's plenty of PTfE on. You'll be able to see by eye if you've crossed threaded . Then tighten up and refil. Hope this helps Simon'.
Answered13 May 2017
1