Goop in the sight glass...

Carrie

This is my first old house (1923), and my first experience with steam heat. We moved in two weeks ago and so far so good.
We've got a single pipe 'low pressure' steam system. I'm getting used to the gentle wooshing noises the radiators make. They don't bang or knock, and they do warm all the way across at times, so I think they must be okay. Sometimes the house goes two or sometimes three degrees over the thermostat setting, but I think this might be normal. I've heard the one largest radiator gurgle just once. I've now figured out they're supposed to lean a bit towards the valve so they can drain.
So here's my question(s):
1) The boiler was installed 9/96 and according to the notes on the front panel, looks to have been cleaned & serviced just about every year.... up until 2003. There's reddish brown stuff in the bottom of the sight-glass. It looks to be a film on the inside of the glass, not a solid sitting in the bottom of the sight tube. The water above that area is perfectly clear. I attached a picture. Is this indicative the boiler needs to be cleaned or some other scarier problem?
2) Can because this is a single-pipe system, does this mean we can remove a radiator from a room that we don't want it in?
3) Again, because this is a single-pipe system, is there a valve that would allow us to 'turn down' a radiator in a room that will not be used often? I'm sure this question gets asked all the time.

Sorry for the goofy novice questions. If there's any specific information about the system you'd need to know to answer a question, I can certain try to get it. Thank you so much!

Steve Garson_2

The brown goop is normal for a boiler that hasn't had its watch-glass cleaned as part of a routine annual cleaning.

Be sure you blow off water from the low water shut off valve every week during the heating season. Use a bucket and take around a quarter bucket each time. Then add water to bring the water level back to normal.

If the boiler has a drain valve at the bottom, then it might be a good idea to drain the boiler while filling it at the same pace to see if you can remove some sediment. Never add water at more than a gradual rate to a hot boiler or you'll crack the casting.

Steamhead (in transit)

And

it is possible to remove a radiator, but this may screw up the balance between the rooms. If the radiator's shape is the problem, you can get differently-shaped radiators.

The "turn-down" valve is called a Thermostatic Radiator Valve. On your system you would use the type that goes in the air-vent hole. The hand valve at the pipe connection must be fully open or closed, or the rad will fill with water and bang.

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