Tommy Mac Discussions › Forums › Fix-it Forum: Home Improvement & Do It Yourself Repair Forum › steam radiators/air locks
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January 26, 2000 at 11:32 am #16290Alexander McLeodGuest
We have an older home [70 years] with steam heat. We installed a new gas burner/boiler to replace the oil burner/boiler. Since the change we have had problems with balanced heating. Some radiators heat and others do not. Our heating service person is young, intelligent, and has been very attentive with the problem. In our area of the country [Tennessee], steam heat is a rarity, particularly in homes, so there are no “experts” around. We have been able to pretty well target the problem as air locks. We have two types of radiator: standing iron radiators with an inlet pipe [top right] and outlet pipe [bottom left]and recessed radiators with thin metal sheets and inlet/outlet pipes at the same level. Currently our problem is with the standing radiators. The standing radiators have a control knob on the right [top], where counterclockwise is open, and a small flat control valve with a hard rubber center on the left [bottom]. The latter has no visible air/steam release. When one of the problem radiators was bled by releasing the nut between the control knob and the radiator [top], it worked fine for a while and then stopped heating again. In the basement there are three steam/air valves, two large and one small. There are not, as best as we have been able to determine, no such valves at higher levels in the house. On the Internet earlier I found on the Gorton Heating Corporation site a valve system that sounds like it might be what we are looking for. However, they have not responded to E-mails or telephone calls. Apologies for the laborious detail, but we need help! many thanks.
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January 26, 2000 at 1:06 pm #87365Jay JGuest
Alexander,
You may have to continue to bleed the lines. If it worked a time or 2, do it again until you’ve solved the problem. Beings the system is new, it’s not uncommon to have to do this a number of times. If you do it 6 times and the problem STILL persists, post up again with all this info, and what you’ve done to that point. (And what the ‘contractor’ has done too, and what he’s said.)
My best to ya and hope this helps.
Jay J
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January 26, 2000 at 10:30 pm #87388HERBGuest
THE TOP PIPE IS THE STEAM PIPE AND THE BOTTOM PIPE IS FOR WATER RETURN OR CONDENSATE RETURN, YOU SHOULD HAVE SOME WAY TO VENT AIR FROM EACH
RADIATOR IF AIR LOCKED THEY JUST WILL NOT WORK,
THE MOST COMMON TYPE OF AUTOMATIC VENT IS AN A-1
SOUNDS LIKE WHAT YOU HAVE ON THE RISERS FROM THE BOILER. SEE IF THE FLAT RADIATORS HAVE CONDENSATE,TRAP ON THE OUTLET PIPE AND IF THIS IS WORKING I HOPE THIS HELPS .
TRAP ON THE OUTLET LINE -
February 18, 2000 at 11:48 am #88412KFoggGuest
I have lived in my 140 yr. old home for 16 yrs.
What I have done is:
Just prior to turning the heat on for the season – flush out the boiler by draining it almost all the way, continue to refill and flush until the water coming out is clear, turn on ALL of the radiators at the same time to maximum level (turn valve on), turn on boiler to check that all of the steam air vents are working, then turn down the radiators to heat level desired. This has worked and ALSO eliminated all of the noise that I used to have when I didn’t flush it regularly. Now when the pipes make noise – I know it is because the boiler needs to have more water.
It is important that you have steam air vents on each of the radiators, there are many types depending on the type of radiator you have. I have 4 different kinds of radiators in my house ranging from “baseboard type” to low level “fin type” and also 2 different kinds of the “standard cast iron upright” tubes – (these are my descriptions based on appearance and are not by any way the correct names)
The radiator will not work correctly or at all without steam “air vents” –
The vent needs to be replaced when it starts to make a very load hissing noise (some hissing is normal – but not normal to be really load and have moisture come out) I have 6 different kinds of steam air values on the radiators – some of which help control the heat produced. HOT WATER air valve usually DO NOT work.
Good Luck – you’ll be an expert soon too -
November 30, 2002 at 12:58 pm #127919charlieGuest
This is a lost art – do not close the big valves at the bottom of the radiator check keep it wide open . first put the smallest valve you can get for the space the thermostat is in and adj the
heat anticipator on the round thermostat for steam heat ( directions with thermostat ) .
As you move away from the furnace you put bigger valves on the radiators . You may get to the point where the rooms farther away still dont work . Take the valve out completely just leave the hole open -and run the furnace by turning up the thermostat – If the radiator heats up you need
more venting – scew in a straight fitting – screw
a Tee fitting onto that and 2 big valves onto the Tee . But remember the smallest valve at thermostat- and the heat anticipator set right before you do anything !!! let me know how you make out -
January 1, 2003 at 3:41 pm #133033LeslieGuest
I live in an old apartment building, in San Francisco, which has steam radiators. My radiator began banging, in the mornings, about 2 weeks ago (apx 12/14/02) and spewing a fine mist from the vent. The building manager replaced the vent. However, the banging continues. While the radiator bangs, a small trickle of water drips from the vent. The radiator bangs for about 4-5 minutes, and then stops for about 1-2 minutes, and then proceeds to bang for another 4-5 minutes. This goes on for about 2-2 1/2 hours, in the moring. It does not bang at night. Some of my neighbors are having the same problem. The building manager and the landlord have tried to correct the problem, but nothing has worked yet. Any ideas about what may be causing this problem and/or potential solutions I may suggest to the manager and the landlord? Any iformation would be extremely helpful. Thank You!
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January 1, 2003 at 3:48 pm #133036LeslieGuest
Disregard the previous message. I made a mistake and sent a question to the wrong place. My apologies.
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August 13, 2003 at 8:01 am #177342John t. HaidulGuest
I live in a old house with a single pipe system for steam. i had a new utica boiler put in gas to replace my old oil boiler and for three years i have little or no heat in two bed rooms ,one on the first floor and one on the second floor i replaced the steam vent rites i use boiler clean and add surge chemical during the winter months, but cannot get little or no heat to those two rooms since i put the new boiler in. I was told to buy two new radiators and that would do it.
I feel it is a vent problem and my needed to add a second vent to those radiators, could you please give me your ideas. Thank You
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