One of my radiator baseboard heaters has sprung a leak
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: usa
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
One of my radiator baseboard heaters has sprung a leak
A baseboard in my kitchen has sprung a leak and I do not know how to turn the water to the baseboards off. I have an oil boiler.
#2
Hi Carolyn,
Near the boiler you should see a smaller pipe (about 1/2") that has a 'bell shaped' device on it.
There may be other devices on this pipe as well.
That pipe is what feeds the water from your domestic supply into the boiler.
On the domestic side of that bell shaped valve there should be a MANUAL SHUT OFF valve.
That's the valve that you need to close in order to shut off the water supply to the boiler.
YOU ALSO NEED TO SHUT OFF THE BOILER, before you close the feed water valve, and this means that you will have NO HEAT until you can get the leak repaired and the boiler turned back on.
Even when you shut off the water to the boiler, there will still be some leakage, but it won't be under pressure. It should slow to a drip as the pipes drain out.
Can you quickly take a bunch of pictures and post them so we can tell you EXACTLY what to do?
All around the boiler... all the valves you see... take some far enough away so we can see the whole system.
Near the boiler you should see a smaller pipe (about 1/2") that has a 'bell shaped' device on it.
There may be other devices on this pipe as well.
That pipe is what feeds the water from your domestic supply into the boiler.
On the domestic side of that bell shaped valve there should be a MANUAL SHUT OFF valve.
That's the valve that you need to close in order to shut off the water supply to the boiler.
YOU ALSO NEED TO SHUT OFF THE BOILER, before you close the feed water valve, and this means that you will have NO HEAT until you can get the leak repaired and the boiler turned back on.
Even when you shut off the water to the boiler, there will still be some leakage, but it won't be under pressure. It should slow to a drip as the pipes drain out.
Can you quickly take a bunch of pictures and post them so we can tell you EXACTLY what to do?
All around the boiler... all the valves you see... take some far enough away so we can see the whole system.
#3
You obviously need to call a plumbing and heating person right away!
This is basically what you are looking for:
image courtesy fixya.net
There are other manufacturers of these, and they all look a little different, but basically the same shape.
The yellow handle in this picture is the manual shut off valve.
It may not be immediately next to the pressure valve, so if you don't see it, follow the pipe to find it.
I also may not be exactly like this... it may be a round handle type shut off valve.
This is basically what you are looking for:
image courtesy fixya.net
There are other manufacturers of these, and they all look a little different, but basically the same shape.
The yellow handle in this picture is the manual shut off valve.
It may not be immediately next to the pressure valve, so if you don't see it, follow the pipe to find it.
I also may not be exactly like this... it may be a round handle type shut off valve.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: usa
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
I am getting pictures now. I don't need that heating system but I do need to still use the boiler for hot water any way I can cut just the supply to the heat nd still us it to heat up my hot water?
#7
OK, first, you need to turn the boiler OFF!
There should be a red switchplate somewhere around the system, typically at the top of the basement stairs, but could be anywhere...
Just make sure you've turned it off.
You see that GREEN BELL SHAPED valve at the upper right of the picture? That is the pressure valve, and then there is a blue round handle on that pipe.
TURN THAT BLUE ROUND HANDLE VALVE OFF.
Clockwise, as normal valve...
There should be a red switchplate somewhere around the system, typically at the top of the basement stairs, but could be anywhere...
Just make sure you've turned it off.
You see that GREEN BELL SHAPED valve at the upper right of the picture? That is the pressure valve, and then there is a blue round handle on that pipe.
TURN THAT BLUE ROUND HANDLE VALVE OFF.
Clockwise, as normal valve...
#8
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: usa
Posts: 4
Upvotes: 0
Received 0 Upvotes
on
0 Posts
Thank you soo much I was told before to turn that valve but I was never told to turn the boiler off. I finally admitted this is not something I can do myself as much as I wanted to I did call someone and they are going to install an electric hot water heater so I can get rid of the boiler as the boiler is way too old and guzzels oil anyway.
#9
install an electric hot water heater so I can get rid of the boiler as the boiler is way too old and guzzels oil anyway.
Doesn't that boiler ALSO HEAT YOUR HOME?
How will you heat the home if the boiler is removed?
Be careful! There are some real slick 'sales persons' out there who would use 'scare tactics' and grandiose claims of fuel savings just to get you to sign the bottom line... Caveat Emptor!