Stop a leaking radiator valve

Use this guide when you spot a damp patch, green or white crust, or a slow drip under a radiator valve now the heating is back on. Have an old towel, kitchen roll, two adjustable spanners, a small container and a torch ready.

Step by step

1. Find the real leak point

   Dry the valve, pipe and floor completely with kitchen roll, then wrap a dry tissue round each joint in turn and wait ten minutes. The wet tissue tells you whether the leak is at the spindle under the cap, the union nut joining valve to radiator, or the compression nut where the pipe enters the valve. Each needs a different fix, so do not tighten anything until you know which one it is.