Can't stop the BANGING!

David_42

We've about had it. Our recently purchased (and recently renovated by someone else) antique house's "one pipe" steam heating system's bang and clang causes sleepless nights and tears from our frightened five year old. I've had steam in another house - loved it - read and re-read "We've got Steam" and tried everything I can think of to mitigate the clanging - drained and cleaned the make-up water; reduced steam pressure, established great pitch at all radiators, installed new steam vent controls and insulated those uninsulated pipes I could access - all to little avail. My suspicion is that there may be pipes within new soffits which may not have correct pitch (walls were removed during renovation requiring otherwise straight runs from second floor to take 90 degree turns)or may be uninsulated - also not sure if holes cut through walls and floors are adequately sized - I have found that the renovating plumber installed copper pipes joined to the original iron where renovations occurred. (There seems to be no noise coming from radiators/pipe systems which were not interrupted.) SO...is there any way for me to confirm the cause of the extreme banging or eliminate some of my suspicions without ripping up nice floors and wall and ceiling soffits? Are there any contractors in the South Shore of Boston area who might be able to help diagnose and fix this problem? It seems a shame to trash the entire system (the boiler is relatively new) but just can't tolerate any more or this punishment.

Ken_40

Sounds like...

A classic case of: "sagged pipes."

In very old homes, structural "settling" - from old age and framing movement over many, many years - occurs. Piping that originally had the correct pitch (to eliminate any "puddles" from forming, and assure all condensate drains from all steam piping) may droop a tad.

The obsession of pitching radiators is NOT required. A dead-level rad will function silently, as long as the riser size, valve and vent are in good order and functioning properly. So fawgettabowt THAT non-issue.

Get a decent level and check every foot of the asteam piping in the basement. This will be difficult if insulation is present, but hardly impossible. If there is no insulation, BINGO! That IS the problem.

A caveat: I assume you read EVERY WORD OF "WE GOT STEAM HEAT" and have used every suggestion available in that great booklet already. If you haven't, read it again - and disregard my advice.

My advice is based on the premise that you have fully digested and comprehend the principals in THAT book.

Norm Harvey

If your on the South Shore of Boston and want a Pro to check it out, feel free to give me a call.

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Brad White_9

Call Norm Harvey

at indoil.com. He serves the South Shore and well.

No, I am not related and have no financial stake in the outcome. I just want you and your family to sleep well.

EDIT: What timing! And no this was not coordinated.

Norm Harvey

Wow!

You can tell its a slow day over here if I can beat you to the punch at 10:30 am.

Thanks for the recommendation Brad.



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Unknown

Another thing to check

We ran into this last week from an install we did a year ago . Banging that could wake the dead . The culprit was a 1 inch black steel wet return . Clogged so solid the 2 inch steam main filled with water . Just something else to check . Is there any way you can upload some digital pics of the system and post them here ?