help with steam air vents

Jeff_66

bump

Jeff_66

help with air vents

I have a large old house with a single pipe steam system. The radiators in the 2 rooms farthest from the boiler (second floor) and the front entranceway (first floor - directly underneath one of the cold rooms and supplied by the same main) never get very warm. The steam main in the basement that supplies that portion of the house is a loop and there is a Hoffman vacuum valve #16 halfway between the boiler and the problematic section of the house. There is also a Gorton Air Eliminator #1 at the end of the main (directly under and 2 floors down from one of the cold rooms).

What is the difference between these types of valves?

I've read in a product catalog that the Gorton #1 is for the end of short mains - this is a long main so I'm considering replacing it with a Hoffman 75 air vent - is this a good idea?

Also - the portion of the loop that passes under one of the cold rooms does not have a main vent nearby so I'm thinking about installing one. Is this a mistake?

Any advice would be appreciated!

Steamhead (in transit)

The Gorton #1 and Hoffman #75 vents

are pretty close in their venting capacities. The Gorton #2 out-vents them both. How long is that steam main and what pipe size is it?

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Jeff_66

There are about 60 feet of pipe between the boiler and the Gorton #1. The first 8 feet are 2.25" outside diameter pipe and then it reduces to 1.5" outside diameter. There are also about 7 right angle elbows in this run.

Thanks for your help - let me know if there's more info I can give you.

Steamhead (in transit)

Use

a Gorton #2 on that main.

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Jeff_66

Thanks!

Can you tell me what the vacuum valve does (is this a potential problem source) and also whether I should install an additional air valve on the main discussed earlier? (see original post above).
Thanks again!

Steamhead (in transit)

That vacuum valve

is superfluous. You want all your venting at the end of the main so those end radiators get plenty of steam.

Speaking of which, the second part of the main looks awfully small. How many radiators are connected to it?

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Jeff_66

well...

It's hard to describe. There are 3 radiators that draw from the small diameter main. However, the main is part of a loop - part of which is larger diameter (2.25" outside) pipe in the front of the house. That portion has several more radiators connected to it. I don't know what's typical, but there is not just one single main line with radiator pipes connected. The main loops around the basement and changes diameters at a couple points.

Steamhead (in transit)

OK, just curious

put the #2 on the end and watch how well it works.

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