Took a rad off today with a v stiff nut, ended up tweaking the joint causing a leak. Ran around like a bollox trying to figure out how to drain the system, ended up just sticking a hosepipe straight on and out the front door.
Anyhow, that worked and I’ve now taped the joint, re-pressurised and everything looks ok. Will the boiler be Ok to fire up after the system being drained like that? Or is further action necessary? I have a combi-boiler and a hot water tank set up in the cellar.

Yes. Only one way to find out if I’m right though.

Edit; I assume you’ve bled air out of everything including the pump if it has a bleed valve.

I’ve not looked at the pump, no. I can check that out though, thanks.

Once filled and bled all should be ok and yes normally the pump has a bleed valve as well, should be in the middle of the pump 🙂

Tape ‘can’ work and I am guessing at PTFE, but with old copper pipe and olives, sometimes its better to cut it back and replace with new.
When starting the heating, remember to turn the boiler off on the thermostat and run the pump to cirulate the water. Turn the pump off and rebleed the rads. Dont forget inhibitor if you have drained out the system to prevent sludging etc.

Inhibitor. Right, good idea – forgot that. Seen as the system is now re-filled, what’s the best way of adding it? I still have that one rad off so could I stick it in there when I put it back on?

Screwfix do a bottle of sentinel and also a filling kit for a few quid. Unscrew the non vent key plug in the top of the rad that is empty and put it in there. Remember to open the vent on the other side to allow it to go in !! Then run the pump to move it round for a half hour.

you can inject sentinel x100 gel via a radiator. Will go get a link…

http://www.plumbnation.co.uk/site/sentinel-x100-gel-inhibitor/
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/260749165051