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Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
If the vent is closed, the seat or valve itself can be distorted. You wouldn't think so, but the contact area is very small. Not saying it always does, but it can happen. When it does, though, the vent may be erratic -- it may not seal completely, or it may stick closed.
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
I’ve taken apart gorton and MoM vents and Gordo has taken apart a lot more. I can’t see anything in there that would be harmed by 5 or even 10 psi.
is this just something we say, or is it real? How does a vent get hurt by 5psi?
is this just something we say, or is it real? How does a vent get hurt by 5psi?
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
Baseboard can work on steam if the baseboards are on the short side. If they are long hook them up two pipe which is a PITA
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
A comment on the vents. Not on the make, but... if your boiler really was operating up to 5 psi, they are all toast. If they work at all, they will be erratic. You will need to replace all of them once you get the boiler pressure under control.
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
i suggested the adjustable MOM vent because it's the easiest way to figure out how to achieve a balanced system. Once you know what orifice goes where you can replace any failed MOM's with Gorton's. It will cost about 30% more but it's the fastest way to balance a system for a home owner if they don't KNOW what vest should go where.
Bob
Bob
BobC
2
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
Don’t be mean clammy, we’re friends! You told me to call Henry’s and I did.
my house had no insulation, I lived with it daily. Then I added it and lived with it daily.
the difference is that less heat was released to the basement.
let me ask this: if lack of insulation causes banging then why doesn’t every insulated main bang after cold startup? That condition (cold, insulated pipes) is the same as uninsulated pipes until the pipes get hot.
HH says that pipes are miserable radiators because they have low EDR (true) and then HH says also that uninsulated pipes will cause banging and balance problems. It doesn’t make sense. Sorry! Still friends?
my house had no insulation, I lived with it daily. Then I added it and lived with it daily.
the difference is that less heat was released to the basement.
let me ask this: if lack of insulation causes banging then why doesn’t every insulated main bang after cold startup? That condition (cold, insulated pipes) is the same as uninsulated pipes until the pipes get hot.
HH says that pipes are miserable radiators because they have low EDR (true) and then HH says also that uninsulated pipes will cause banging and balance problems. It doesn’t make sense. Sorry! Still friends?
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
A quick ps real pros don’t use cheap o maid o mist air vents but real home owner and contractors who see no difference in quality and offer the cheapest so they can obtain the highest profit from mark up always use the cheapest of vents and materials because they see no difference and usually are not coming back .As it’s said ask the clam he does not care about feelings or offending he does not self promote just tells the truth as it is . Something most are afraid to do but it ,s really quite easy and some thing to live by that is telling the truth and that includes a I don’t know answer also . It never changes cause it’s the truth
Peace and good luck clammy
Peace and good luck clammy
clammy
3
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
Steam heat w baseboard convector is a slippy slope as it really isn’t the best choice and usually there’s always some splitting at some point in time . As for other suggestion that insulation doesn’t matter well after close to 40 years doing this I tend to completely disagree but then I do this for a living so by all means listen to another home owner who does not do this for a living Diy ? If you want the truth then look for some one who is versed in steam heating this may or may not be a plumber . Baseboard convector are not the ideal convector for steam a free standing radiator will operate far better . Personally I don’t even entertain the talk of installing copper ,steel or cast iron baseboard for steam it works but usually always like crap and over time you will replace more air vents ona baseboard convector of any type in comparison to a free standing radiator . Talk of converting to another type of system like hot air is usually after all said and done never comes close to the heat a properly installed steam system deliveries and comfort plus generally a hot air system will always cost more to operate then a properly installed and operation steam system plus less moving parts and less air movement and nothing can delivery as many Btu for the given space required . As I tell customers if you want a hands off system then steam is not for you ,if you do not want to check your water level and want everything automatic then steam is not for you if you want a automatic feeder then you at a mim you be will notified by said automatic feeder when it time to replace your boiler cause it will be flashing which means ureuka I need a new boiler because I’ve taken on 1500 gallons of water in year cheerio to auto feeders lol . Steam system require at a mim a person to first off properly clean the boiler and to cycle the boiler for a complete heating cycle then while durning and after the thermostat is satisfied walk the basement and check all piping and main vent then proceed to get every supply valve and radiator vents for no n functioning vents and lanky supply valve, yeah it takes time and you pay but unless your there a few hours it’s half baked attempt . There a whole bunch of other things that should happen upon a maintaince visit like pull the sight glass **** ,low water cut off probe ,pull burners and clean chk for any roll out flame impingement and flood block and check for leaks ,flush and wand and fast skim ,flush wet returns this is a quick list and this is never done by most on a yearly maintenance visit for a few hundred it’s a 1/2 day mim for a complete real maintance other wise it’s a flash in a pan and if its 199 .00 job your just paying for some one to go threw the motions. Real maintaince is not cheap or fast and usually difficult to get correctly done when price and getting an bargain is top priority . Take non of this as a insult it’s just the truth by some one who does this work to eat so believe what you want pay who you wish but don’t be angry by what you receive and ps anyone who shows up to ur home wearing sneakers to work should be kindly shown the door there just sneaker wearing tool bags real men don’t wear sneakers to work they wear work boots steel tips and are usually not choir boys if your looking for that ina steam mech good luck that train does not exists for real knuckle dragging pipe spinning steam guys and usually completely political incorrect lol throw backs . That’s that’s
I know this to be a noble truth because it deal w it all the time . lol
The sweeten of a cheaper price is often forgotten after the bitterness of poor quality
Peace and good luck clammy
I know this to be a noble truth because it deal w it all the time . lol
The sweeten of a cheaper price is often forgotten after the bitterness of poor quality
Peace and good luck clammy
clammy
3
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
A "C" vent is a fast vent and that type of convector is usually happiest with lower vent rates because of all the condensate the convector produces. Are the other convectors venting at that same rate?
You can get vent kits that come with a vent and 5 different vent orifices for that single vent, this lets you dial in the correct venting rate.
Generally you want to vent the mains slowly and the radiators slowly. Keep in mind this is a heating system and it has to be balanced so it comes up to heat at about the same time.
Bob
You can get vent kits that come with a vent and 5 different vent orifices for that single vent, this lets you dial in the correct venting rate.
Generally you want to vent the mains slowly and the radiators slowly. Keep in mind this is a heating system and it has to be balanced so it comes up to heat at about the same time.
Bob
BobC
1
Re: Leaking air vents on steam baseboard raditors and banging noise in pipes
Boiler shouldn’t be operating above 2psi.
cut in of 0.5 to cut out of 1.5 psi is what the boiler should be set to in order to avoid problems.
cut in of 0.5 to cut out of 1.5 psi is what the boiler should be set to in order to avoid problems.
Radiator vents do not last long above 2psi.
If the system won’t heat unless the pressure is set over 2psi, then there are other problems which need to be addressed immediately.
Waher
2