"spamlet" wrote in message
m...
Hi All: happy new year...

Over the last few months pin holes have started to appear in our ch
radiators - which are fairly old, but thought to have been well
maintained - inhibitor in system etc.

The holes have appeared in 3 different rads. In the first two I was able
to tap a screw and seal them, but now a third rad has developed a pin hole
but in this case it is between the two leaves of a double rad, where I
can't get at it.

If the radiators are starting to pinhole through the metal and the surface
paint then you either have a few very abnormally weak areas of metal in a
massive area of radiator or you are about to have a sieve.

Which do you think is more likely?

I am assuming this is much like the similar problems you get with car
radiators and heater cores.
Once they are rotten then you can kid yourself that a magic leak stopper
will cure all your problems long term or you can start budgeting for a
replacement.

I must say that I have never seen pinholing in radiators - even those 25+
years old.

They surely must be very rotten - especially as it is in more than one
radiator.

How old is 'fairly old'?

Sadly, I would write them all off and replace as soon as possible - granted
that a leak stopper may get you through the next month or so until you can
survive without the heating for a few days.

Even so, it should be possible to work your way round the house replacing a
radiator at a time without shutting down the whole system.

Comiserations.

Dave R