Radiator leaking from the valve
Check the steps below first — if you\'re not confident, get it fixed safely today.
Find a Gas Safe engineer near you →⚠️ Always isolate and drain the radiator before working on its valves. Have towels ready — radiator water is very dirty (black iron oxide sludge) and will stain surfaces.
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Most likely cause & what to check
Identify the exact source — is it leaking from the valve gland (the nut where the spindle enters), or from the compression fitting where the valve connects to the pipe?
For a weeping gland nut: try tightening the gland nut (the smaller nut at the top of the valve body) by a quarter turn using an adjustable spanner — this often stops a slow weep.
If tightening the gland nut does not stop it, you need to isolate the radiator. Close both the TRV (set to 0) and the lockshield valve, counting how many turns to close the lockshield so you can reset it afterward.
Place a bowl under the valve and open the bleed valve to drain. Replace the valve olive and PTFE tape on the thread — a replacement TRV valve head costs £10–£30.
If the leak is from the pipe-to-valve compression fitting, tighten it by a quarter turn. If it still weeps, the olive is damaged and the fitting needs cutting out — call a plumber.
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