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steam coming out of shut off valve stems -repairable?

skimmer
skimmer Member Posts: 52
in Strictly Steam
A couple of my rads shut off valves have been leaking steam for a few years..Was able to stop by closing the valves a turn or two to find the sweet spot where steam would not shoot out.. Now of course they are leaking again and the plastic handles broke off... The pictures are from 2 different radiators

Is it possible to repack the stems on these? They do still turn rather easily using pliers now since the handles have broken off..

Also.. Is it possible to do a temp repair other then wrap a towel around it and put a bowl underneath?

I have some blue monster compression seal tape and was thinking of wrapping it around both of these stems to stop the leak for this heating season and then call in a pro to replace these shut off's.. but thats only if the stems cannot be repacked as obviously I would rather do that then have these cut out and replaced...






This is a one pipe system, and the valves here are about 60 years old...

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,314
    Those should be easy to repack. I'd do that before considering replacement.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • skimmer
    skimmer Member Posts: 52
    Graphite string from what Ive read..new handles... any advice? liquid wrench or some other product on the nut before i get a wrench on it?
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,314
    Graphite or teflon. You can get universal-fit handles at old-school hardware stores or online. Penetrating oil can't hurt.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • gerry gill
    gerry gill Member Posts: 3,078
    yes repack as others have said..we can make wood handles in our shop but would need the old handle and its metal broach sent to us.
    gwgillplumbingandheating.com
    Serving Cleveland's eastern suburbs from Cleveland Heights down to Cuyahoga Falls.

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,525
    Not only repack as has been said -- but don't think about replacing those valves, except as a last resort. Do what is needed to repair them -- it's almost always possible. The problem is that the valve is mated to the spud in the radiator, and to replace one you have to replace the other, and that's not so simple.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • skimmer
    skimmer Member Posts: 52
    yeah I know that's a big job...I am going to wait until the spring to repack.. I don't need any surprises happening that turn into an emergency...

    Any ideas on a temp fix and the stem? I was going to put putty around and then wrap with the blue monster tape..but that might make it worse come spring...

    Maybe a wrap some rubber and a clamp? I don't know...right now I have a foil container underneath to catch the drip..
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,254
    IIWM, I would shut off the boiler, clean the stem so the packing nut will slide back, a little penetrating oil on packing nut........Then loosen the nut. Apply a few wraps of high temp Teflon string gasket. Snug the nut back up while rotating the stem in and out. Those nuts crack easy. Just tighten to where the stem feels tight.
    I would just leave it open all the time.
    A valve that age will probably not shut off 100% of steam flow and if closed you may end up with a rad full of water.

    Pretty hard to stop a leak by applying anything to the outside of the valve. IMO

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