Residental Steam Heating

Jake_3

Hello all. I have a couple of questions about the steam heating unit for the appartment above mine. I live in a basement studio(rent is extreemly cheap. 350 a month!) and the two units above me have steam heat. The unit in question, the one directly above me was recently serviced due to problems at one of the pressure release valves. Now here is the background. On one of the larger steam pipes there was a pressure relase valuve that i had been keeping an eye on for several days due to the excessive hissing. Upon expection of the boiler, there appeared to be to much watter in it thus flooding the pipes. This unit DOES NOT have a valve to refill when needed. You have to manualy add water to the unit. So, I drained about 5 gallons out so that the level was around 3 quarters full. About 3 days later the pressure release valuve was removed, and pluged compleetly by a contractor hired by my landlord. Since, the pipes have beem extreemly loud, to the point that Im woken from a deep sleep. Im not a HVAC tech, Im a Security Guard, and thats why Im here. One of my questions is this: Is it dangerous to run the unit without a pressure release valuve? I would assume so.....as watter heated turns to steam, this expanding, and working its way to the radiators upstairs to heat the appartment. Ive closly monitired the watter leven in the boiler since the unit has been serviced and have had to drain several gallons due to the man upstairs filling the unit all the way. I can also feel watter swashing around in the larger steam pipes when I put my hand on them. How can I drain the watter out of the pipes? I assume that that is contributing to the bangning...as the stean and watter have not enuff room in the pipes. Im also aware of the fact that the system is or should be pressureized.....and releasing some pressure somewhere will be necessary to drain the entire system to get the watter out of the pipes. Where can this be done? My landlord is out of town for a the better part of the next month and I cant keep loosing sleep like this....even ear plugs are not helping. Thank you all in advance for your advice. Jake.

Big Ed

Dangerous

Plugging a relief valve is making a time bomb..... You need a pro or new appartment.