Pinhole leak in radiator

macinalli · 02-03-2009 12:31pm #1

Hi,

Have 2 pinhole leaks in the heated towel rack in the bathroom and was wondering how to go about repairing them. 1 of the leaks is at a junction, the other midway along a rail. Are there any options for patching these up?
All help appreciated.

antoinolachtnai · 02-03-2009 9:45pm

It will be interesting to hear the opinions on this, but I'd say it's time to replace the radiator. You could probably patch them up, but the big risk is that either the repair won't hold (not too bad) or the whole thing just ruptures (could be very bad). I'd be very worried about that junction. For me, it would just just be not worth risking continuing to use this thing.

mad m · 02-03-2009 10:10pm

How old is radiator? I'd say replace rad....

hacktavist · 02-03-2009 10:15pm

Just break an egg into it that should sort it out.

mad m · 02-03-2009 10:59pm

hacktavist wrote: »

Just break an egg into it that should sort it out.

Are you for real? This is a domestic radiator in a bathroom not in a Honda.....

builditwell · 03-03-2009 12:04am

"Break an egg into it" Thats a classic!!

Next thing we will be using a pair of tights for a temporary fan belt:D.

It is time to replace the rad, a fix might work for a while but you could be creating a bigger problem down the road as antoinolachtnai said it will be a whole lot worse if it ruptures

Dixy · 03-03-2009 12:08am

There are several products for repairing minor leaks and weeps in a heating system.
Protex do one but its very glupy so hard to get in the system but i had one a while back that was excellent.
Cant remember the name but its in a white bottle with red writing and i know Masseys in Ballycoolin have it.

the merchant · 03-03-2009 12:12am

Could you drill the holes out and screw in a self tapper wrapped in plumbers tape?

This would probably suit the one midway along the rail.

RoundyMooney · 03-03-2009 12:42am

If the flippin' thing is leaking in the body (as opposed to from one of the pipe joints) it's beyond repair.

Bite the bullet and replace, it's not that hard, if that's the case. Towel rails tend to be a heavier gauge than the common or garden rad, IIRC? If so, best to check your other rads for staining etc., too.

I'm not a plumber btw.

RKQ · 03-03-2009 12:47am

I have a pin hole leak in a small bathroom rad 10 or 15 years ago.
Plumber took rad off and welded the hole - its never been a problem!

Still there today - perfect.:D (Not sure if you can weld a chrome towel rail!)

Just to note a good weld is stronger than the original steel, so theres no reason why a good weld should burst. Temperature in a rad would not be a problem.

2 stroke · 03-03-2009 1:44am

For a temporary repair a few years ago I isoponed a coin to a radiator. Forgot completely about it until I read this post, must check next time I visit.

macinalli · 03-03-2009 3:09pm

Cheers for the replies folks. It's relatively new (~ 2 yr old apartment) but suspect that they didn't go for the top of the range on the towel rails.

Will look into replacing it. Potentially foolish question: am ok on the DIY front - is this sort of job best left to a plumber or is it worth having a go?

JamesM · 03-03-2009 5:31pm

macinalli wrote: »

Cheers for the replies folks. It's relatively new (~ 2 yr old apartment) but suspect that they didn't go for the top of the range on the towel rails.

Will look into replacing it. Potentially foolish question: am ok on the DIY front - is this sort of job best left to a plumber or is it worth having a go?

I would say that, if it is only 2 years old, you have a big problem with corrosion in the system. It may not have been flushed out properly after the joints were soldered. It is likely that other rads will start leaking.
Jim.

macinalli · 03-03-2009 6:20pm

Don't like the sound of that at all. Would seem to me at this stage that the best course of action is to get a plumber in to flush the system & install a new radiator - make sense?

10-10-20 · 03-03-2009 8:44pm

Oddly enough - my parents have a leak on their towel rad too.
It's also 2 years old.
I suspect it's more-so an issue with the quality of the rail than the corrosion in the system.

JamesM · 04-03-2009 12:05am

macinalli wrote: »

Don't like the sound of that at all. Would seem to me at this stage that the best course of action is to get a plumber in to flush the system & install a new radiator - make sense?

It could be a dodgy towel rail, but if there is a hole in it, there has to be some corrosion. I believe that you should do as you suggest - and add an inhibitor.
Jim.

macinalli · 04-03-2009 10:08am

Cheers for the advice folks, will be getting on to this ASAP

Ciaran

Outkast_IRE · 05-03-2009 12:26am

could be a dodgy towel rail , i know one housing estate in cork and every house has had radiators with pinhole leaks , they were all same make rads and were all put into house first day, bad batch , probably a situation where the lowest priced rad was put in .

JamesM · 05-03-2009 12:51am

Outkast_IRE wrote: »

could be a dodgy towel rail , i know one housing estate in cork and every house has had radiators with pinhole leaks , they were all same make rads and were all put into house first day, bad batch , probably a situation where the lowest priced rad was put in .

Or the systems were never flushed out :eek:

Outkast_IRE · 05-03-2009 6:15pm

JamesM wrote: »

Or the systems were never flushed out :eek:

well iv actually flushed out the systems in a few of these houses and added inhibitor and they have still developed leaks so defo a dodgy batch of radiators:cool:

Mr Bloat · 09-03-2009 9:58pm

Oddly enough, I just did a search for pinhole leak in a rad and saw this thread. Interesting to see it was started a few days ago!
I have a similar problem in my kitchen with a rad. I noticed a tiny hole a couple of days ago and turned the rad off. Now there's red water slowly trickling out. It's like the rad is bleeding! :eek:
It's a second hand house and I've been here 8 years. I have no idea how long the rad is on the wall, tbh. Going by the advice above I think it's time to replace it.
How easy/difficult is it to replace a rad? Would it be best to get in a plumber for the job or do it myself? I'd describe myself as 'pretty handy'* but I've never done this before.

*This may be an overinflated reckoning on my part. My wife may not agree. In fact, my wife would probably spend a good number of minutes on the floor laughing, if she read this...

Outkast_IRE · 11-03-2009 12:12am

prob better to get a plumber, but it could be a easy enough job if you can get a new rad to the same dimensions LxH it would then be a case of hanging the new one to suit the height of the old rad valves. If you cant get the same size it can be trickier

Pinhole leak in radiator

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