calling all plumbers - urgent help needed!

[pablo666]

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so here we have the pictures
The top nut on the flexible braided hose was dripping quite fast last night - it now appears to have stopped dripping.
The white board above the unit, I can't seem to remove - no screws but it is solid - perhaps dowels holding it which would require the side panels removing?
Also, the other end of the silver braided hoses vanish around the corner so I'd have to remove most of the fitted unit to get to that - that sounds too big a job for me!
I'm hoping I can just tighten this silver nut and solve the problem? But now it's not dripping I wont know for sure if it's fixed.

Where are you? I'm Northampton and have fitted a few kitchens in my time.

 

[e-rider]

Where are you? I'm Northampton and have fitted a few kitchens in my time.

I'm in Norwich which is miles away from Northampton unfortunately.
I have another dumb question but how do you actually tighten these nuts as there seems to be nothing to hold on to so I would risk bending the copper pipe right, if I just get a large adjustable on it and turn?

 

[deanE]

Well, at least the leak is the right side of the isolation valve. If it was me I would close the isolation valves, undo both of the hose to copper couplings, give them a good clean, and then reinstall. If the olives are loose then I would probably replace them too. Put the heating on again, so that there is pressure in the system to check the leak has stopped before pushing the unit back under the cupboard. I would hesitate before I dismantled anymore of the unit. If all else fails you can just close the isolation valves and unplug the heater until after Christmas.

 

[pablo666]

You can hold the valve with a large adjustable wrench and tighten the nut with a spanner. The valve is the T shaped bit with the slot head screw in it.. Careful not to overdo it! I'd be inclined to undo and clean up first before tightening.

 

[deanE]

I'm in Norwich which is miles away from Northampton unfortunately.
I have another dumb question but how do you actually tighten these nuts as there seems to be nothing to hold on to so I would risk bending the copper pipe right, if I just get a large adjustable on it and turn?

You need to put one spanner on the isolation valve and the other on the coupling “nut”. Don’t put grips or anything else on the copper tube. Modern copper is so thin it will distort easily and then you do have problems.

 

[e-rider]

Well, at least the leak is the right side of the isolation valve. If it was me I would close the isolation valves, undo both of the hose to copper couplings, give them a good clean, and then reinstall. If the olives are loose then I would probably replace them too. Put the heating on again, so that there is pressure in the system to check the leak has stopped before pushing the unit back under the cupboard. I would hesitate before I dismantled anymore of the unit. If all else fails you can just close the isolation valves and unplug the heater until after Christmas.

thanks for the help - I have managed to mop up all the water and the 'wood' panels are drying out now.

If I close both isolation valves (by turning the screws with a screw driver) will the rest of the heating in the house still work? Or does the water have to flow through this bit too? Sorry, but I don't really know how the heating system even works eg. radiators etc.

Two people have said it's better to clean the fittings and then tighten up again - my thought was that this would be more risky and just tightening would be safer - obviously I don't have a clue - so just to double check, I should completely undo the nut and clean first?

The lower one hasn't been leaking so I was going to leave that one well alone - sensible?

 

[simon.r]

Well, at least the leak is the right side of the isolation valve. If it was me I would close the isolation valves, undo both of the hose to copper couplings, give them a good clean, and then reinstall.

Looks to me as if the isolation valve is part of the flexible hose (crimped onto it)?

 

[simon.r]

Two people have said it's better to clean the fittings and then tighten up again - my thought was that this would be more risky and just tightening would be safer - obviously I don't have a clue - so just to double check, I should completely undo the nut and clean first?

I *think* that if you take the fittings apart you will have a lot of water to cope with, as the isolation valve is downstream of the coupling nut. Personally, as someone whose plumbing skills are mediocre at best, I'd go down the tighten the nut route first and keep an eye on it for the next few days to check that's solved it.

 

[e-rider]

I *think* that if you take the fittings apart you will have a lot of water to cope with, as the isolation valve is downstream of the coupling nut. Personally, as someone whose plumbing skills are mediocre at best, I'd go down the tighten the nut route first and keep an eye on it for the next few days to check that's solved it.

these were exactly my thoughts but I'm not a plumber - others have suggested different advice which seems to be based on much more knowledge! However, I can't really go wrong just by tightening it right? If it wont move then I can reconsider the options, but if it tightens up by quarter turn then it could be a simple fix

 

[pablo666]

If the unit is plumbed in correctly, then isolating the unit by turning both isolation valves off, will not prevent the rest of the heating system working. Inside the unit is a 'heat exchanger' or mini radiator that the fan blows over to push warm air into the kitchen. If you undo the big nut to clean the joint before reassembly, you would get water drip out of the heat exchanger but no more unless one of other of the isolating valves was not closed and/or not functioning. So you could clean up and re-tighten. You will, however introduce a bit of air into the system, which might need to be bled off. On reflection, then, it is best to just try a tighten and monitor. If it leaks again, then it is best to close the two isolation valves and unplug the unit to wait for a plumber in better times.

 

[Rohloff_Brompton_Rider]

Well, at least the leak is the right side of the isolation valve. If it was me I would close the isolation valves, undo both of the hose to copper couplings, give them a good clean, and then reinstall. If the olives are loose then I would probably replace them too. Put the heating on again, so that there is pressure in the system to check the leak has stopped before pushing the unit back under the cupboard. I would hesitate before I dismantled anymore of the unit. If all else fails you can just close the isolation valves and unplug the heater until after Christmas.

+1

 

[e-rider]

so a new development - I turned the isolation screw ready to tighten the nut and water started pissing out were the screw goes in and now wont stop!

Help!

 

[Night Train]

You've had a lot of good advice already.

Close of both valves and leave for after Christmas (and new year). Ignore it if you can manage without the heating in the kitchen until you can look at it properly and repair it.

I have friends in Norfolk and will need to visit at some point. If it is in the near future I can pop in to have a look if it isn't sorted out by then.

It looks like it should be a simple repair as the leak is where the flexi joins the heater. Most likely the olive. A strip and clean should sort it.

 

[Night Train]

so a new development - I turned the isolation screw ready to tighten the nut and water started ****ing out were the screw goes in and now wont stop!

Help!

Have you turned the screw just the 45deg to the closed position?
Will send you a pm.

 

[e-rider]

the leak is actually from the isolation valve. With the valve closed it pours out very fast. With the valve open it drips.

The braided hose will need replacing I think.

How much will a plumber charge to do this?

Cheers