noisy riser pipes (an understatement)

Rachel

thanks for your reply!

global view: I have only lived here for one winter. others in the building say the noise has always been a problem, but of course, worst at the top floor.
atrocious noise: comes not from the radiators, but the riser pipes. it sounds like an expresso machine at full pitch - so hissing, but also gurgling. banging is minimal and comes from the radiator.
I hear you regarding the short-sightedness of removing the risers, potentially. I guess I was just wondering if it's ever done...
I'll look into the other issues you suggested such as pitch, pressure, etc.
thank you!

Rachel

Rachel

noisy riser pipes (an understatement)

I live in a 4 story, 8 unit co-op with single pipe steam heat. i am on the top floor. our riser pipes are capped just above our ceiling. The one bleeder valve on these pipes is in our apt and makes such an attrocious noise that we lose sleep. plus, there is too much heat on the top 2 floors and not enough on the bottom two. We have had the pipes cleaned. My question is: if we still can't stand these pipes, can we cap them at the 2nd floor? or remove them altogether? we have had one professional say that yes, we can. but looking for a second opinion.
any advice would be appreciated!
thanks!
R

Brad White_172

So many things to look at....

A global view: Did the system always behave badly or was it coincident with some work being done upon it?

Questions: What is the atrocious noise? Banging? Hissing? Ticking? Techno or Rap?

If it is banging, I suspect wet steam, poor pitch, too much pressure. If hissing, I suspect inadequate venting, at the mains below if not the risers at which you notice the issues. (The cap may be prematurely terminating what was a functional air vent at one time). Capping things off willy-nilly may well make things worse.

Where are you located? An hour or two of a pro's time would be well worth it. The pro you had take a look at it, if worth their salt, did they assess the system as a whole? Comment upon pressure settings, near-boiler piping and other more universal aspects? Just going to capping without that would be, in my opinion, short-sighted.

Steamhead (in transit)

Pipes cleaned

Um...when you say you had the pipes "cleaned", what exactly do you mean? Which pipes? How?

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Rachel

pipes cleaned

Gordo,
Heating pipes were cleaned recently because of sediment build-up. A lscd. boiler repairman came to clean them; I asked him while he was here about capping the pipes - he said it could be done. I realize this isn't very conventional, just wondering if others have done this...
thanks, Rachel

Brad White_172

Think you are venting now, Rachel?

Nothing worse than an espresso machine at full pitch and you not getting a half-fat venti double-latte out of the deal.

From that I suspect a combination of high pressure and inadequate venting. Others I am sure will offer other observations. The mains should be well-vented so that the risers and radiators do not have to vent more than their own volumes.

Push the entire air volume out of too few vents -especially in and near the living spaces- and I suppose it will sound like your local Starbucks but without chatty cell phone users.

Your pressure should not be over 2 pounds and probably much less. The Empire State Building heats with only 2 to 3 pounds of pressure after all.

Where are you located? OK Co-op is a NYC give-away.... If NYC, there are some of the very best steam practitioners north of Baltimore, right in your back yard....

Rachel

venting

Brad,
We're in Brooklyn. I will take your suggestions and ask others in my co-op if venting has been looked at/addressed etc. this has been very helpful! do you know a good boiler/plumber guy around here? Ive heard Gateway is a good company...

Thomas Powell

If its to hot you can always insulate the riser with 1 in of fiber glass insulation .

Jamie Hall

Find a Pro

Rachel -- check out find a pro, right here on this web site. Click on it and give your zip and there you are. Some of the best in the world are at your mouse's beck and call, and live within a few miles of you.

Steamhead (in transit)

First one I'd call

is Matt "Mad Dog" Sweeney, owner of Triple Crown P&H in Floral Park, L.I. Matt has built a steam system from scratch in his own home- no doubt he could straighten your building out. Go here for his company's info:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/getListed.cfm?id=210&Step=30

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Brad White_172

I would second the motion

that you call Matt "MadDog" Sweeney in Floral Park.

Gateway is also worth a call. John (JohnNY) and David Cataneo are excellent practitioners too. Nothing against them, they are among the very best. All are to my mind, incredible human beings, having met them.

Matt has, as mentioned, taken on his own house, installing steam from scratch. You are virtually surrounded!

Let us know how it works out!