Clank

Mark_96

I have a single pipe steam system. One of the radiators upstairs has a vertical feed line that runs through a wall that is uninsulated. Its always VERY noisy, with water hammer. Obviously the pitch is not the problem. The pipe is inside the wall, so inaccessable. I always end up turning the radiator off, because the room has another one. Should I just live with one, or is there some other solution?

LarryC

Water hammer

HO here.

Does it hammer at the beginning, middle, or end of the heating cycle? Is the radiator pitched to allow the condensate to dribble back down freely, or does it have to build up to a high enough level to dump a slug of water all at once? Does the radiator vent constantly vent? If so, that will cause the condensate to pile up until it can overcome the constant flow of steam coming up the riser. How is the piping at the bottom of the riser? Does the condesate have a constant downhill path to get back to the boiler?

Questions, questions, questions.

Mark_96

It clanks at the start of the cycle. The radiator is pitched, but the pipe is not visible from where it goes into the floor, all the way to the basement. It does vent continuously during the start of the cycle. In the basement the pipe comes from the main, which is one of two that runs the entire lenthe of the basement.

ttekushan_3

If one radiator is ok

then 1-1/2 would be better!

What I'm getting at is its worth trying a slow vent. This might slow the progress of the steam enough to get the CLANK to settle down.

For example, Hoffman #40 or Gorton #4. I'm sure there are others.

-Terry