Inhale/exhale noise from steam radiator

Brad White

cause. A wedge is a good thing. Dan recommends checkers under the radiator feet because they stack well and lock in place. Not sure if modern plastic ones work as well as the older Bakelite ones...

Oreo cookies however are <i>not</i> recommended.

Gary_24

Steam radiator exhale/inhale noise

Hi,
I have a one pipe steam system in a two story home. I have a radiator on the second floor in my bedroom(directly above the boiler)which makes a either big inhale or exhale noise(not sure if its suction or exhale). I had a varivalve on this radiator but i took it off--too noisy and put a regular no. 6 vent) I believe it does this at the end of the heat cycle when the boiler shuts off. The radiator directly below this in the kitchen also has a very low pitch pinging noise. I have installed varivales on my living room, kitchen and other upstairs bedroom radiators. I have watched the pressure gauge and it goes up to almost 5psi before boiler shuts down.

jim_126

pressure

The pressure your system is reaching is too high. This can be adjusted at the pressuretrol. Set the cutout at 1.5 lbs and the cutin at .5 lbs. Then check your vents.Good Luck

Guest_5

Same for me.

I thought I don't have enough venting so I added a Gorton #1 and #2 to the main. My radiators are still panting and hissing when the boiler starts. sigh. Any ideas?

Brad White

Panting

A slug of water (unreturned condensate) could be present along that run. It will absorb the heat from the steam causing a sudden collapse of same... so long as the liquid water is present this will occur and cause a "panting" sound as the air and steam behind it expands and contracts...

Now, I am not about to tell you how to get rid of your pants...

Gary_24

Radiators are not sloped enough towards shut off valve?

Gary_24

HI,
Thanks for the info. I don't have a cut out adjustment, i have cutin and differential which equal cut out. Cutin is at .5(lowest setting) and diff. was at 2; I adjusted diff. to slightly less than 2 and boiler ran and shut off at 3.5 psi. Should i lower diff. more?

Gary_24

so i gather from your reply that slope could be the problem? I'm going to get my level now and check them out...

Brad White

Slope

could be the problem but even if your radiator is pitched back to the valve, the water pocket might be in the pipe, out of reach. By all means eliminate the obvious variables. What is left (if the problem persists) is closer to the cause.

jim_126

Yes lower the diff to 1

jim_126

Gary after checking the pitch which others have suggested, if the "noise" persists on the second floor rad, I would think it is caused by vacuum break after the boiler shuts. This is air rushing "back" into the rad and pipes through the vent opening.The rad directly below probably shares the same supply runoff that is having the vacuum break.You could try a smaller gorton #5.

jim_126

"Guest" it sounds like your system is making WET STEAM ,check you near boiler piping.