The leaky radiator valve

I will always remember the day when I discovered a leaky radiator in the girls bedroom. The valve was dripping and I knew nothing about radiators. A few weeks earlier I had handed over seventy quid for 10 minutes work.

There I was, bricking myself. It was 10pm on a Sunday night and I had to get up for work early the next morning. Was the leak going to get worse, stain the carpet, leak through the floor and cause more damage. It seems crazy to me now that I was even worried, but I was.

So I removed the radiator cap and had a good look. The valve was pretty rusty but seemed in reasonable condition. Water was weeping from what looked like a screwed on nut but not very much. I took a calculated risk that if I used a spanner and very gently tightened the nut it may stop the leak.

Anyway, I tried it. I must have given it about and eighth of a turn. The dripping stopped. Eureka! I must have stood looking at that valve for about 10 minutes admiring my handywork. I had been worried about the prospect of hiring a plumber to fix it. Undoubtedly, he would have stopped the leak but how much would he have charged. I did not know anything about radiators and he could have claimed any of the following:

• tightened the valve (basically what I had done). 2 minutes work.
• drained the system, replaced the valve, refill the system. Loadsa money.
• replaced the radiator.

I estimate I could have been out of pocket at least 200 quid. My feeble first attempt at plumbing had saved me 200 smackeroons (not to mention the VAT which had just been increased by Norman Lamont).

For the two remaining years I lived in that house the radiator gave no more problems. I had taken my first steps on the road the plumbing nirvana.