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Any harm in keeping radiator vent valve off?

mike jones_2
mike jones_2 Member Posts: 92
in THE MAIN WALL
check brad's post above - You need something to stop the steam from humidifying your house inadvertently once it arrives. You cannot stay there to police it.

If, as you say, you get the radiator hot instantly, did you use the right vent? A Gorton D might work well. Venting is the same as a Gorton #1 which can do a small main. A Heat Timer Varivalve vents even more and is adjustable.

RE - POSTED. OOPS, I MAY BE WRONG, TURN VENT UPSIDE DOWN AND BLOW THRU IT. IF IT CLOSES UP YOU MAY BE IN GOOD SHAPE.
i think what he's saying is you must have a vent valve that closes when it heats up.

you could be making worse problems. search posts here on radiator steam vents and you might get further with issues like pressure or wet steam. good luck.

Comments

  • dcha
    dcha Member Posts: 50
    Is there?

    My coldest radiator (furthest from the boiler) has problems heating up. I've tried a lot of different things (pitch, changing the vent valve, etc.) but it still doesn't heat up right. But as soon as I take the valve off, I feel some cool air coming out and it gets hot instantly. Is there any harm in keeping the vent valve off? It's a steam system.
  • Brad White
    Brad White Member Posts: 2,399
    Harm? Yup. Don't.

    You need something to stop the steam from humidifying your house inadvertently once it arrives. You cannot stay there to police it.

    If, as you say, you get the radiator hot instantly, did you use the right vent? A Gorton D might work well. Venting is the same as a Gorton #1 which can do a small main. A Heat Timer Varivalve vents even more and is adjustable.
    "If you do not know the answer, say, "I do not know the answer", and you will be correct!"



    -Ernie White, my Dad
  • dcha
    dcha Member Posts: 50


    i had a D on there. no good.
  • martin
    martin Member Posts: 144
    Rad valve

    You said ad farthest from boiler. Is main vent on return main working if not rad vents have to do all the work and rad farthest from boiler takes a long time to get hot.
  • Brad White
    Brad White Member Posts: 2,399
    A better question

    I would listen to Plumbaris-

    You cannot vent any better than an open pipe (which works in your case). No vent can possibly vent better than the opening it is connected to, therefore the best you can do is to get most of the air out of the way upstream of it, with good main vents.
    "If you do not know the answer, say, "I do not know the answer", and you will be correct!"



    -Ernie White, my Dad
  • al r
    al r Member Posts: 6
    venting

    I have the same problem here in nj in a tenants apt..
    2 yrs ago i replaced all main vents, this yr I've started to drain, pitch, installed reflective material behind rad, and new rad vents. i'm using mis-o-maid vents size d on the ends but removing the caps so that its more than double the opening size. otherwise with the vents removed, and never closing to keep the steam in the rad to heat up, i have the problem of the water evaporating quickly and causing short cycle (low water shutoff) and intro of new freshwater and increase wear and tear i think
  • dcha
    dcha Member Posts: 50


    I don't think I have main vents. I think that's the problem.
  • Brad White
    Brad White Member Posts: 2,399
    Funny thing

    We all feel the same way :)
    "If you do not know the answer, say, "I do not know the answer", and you will be correct!"



    -Ernie White, my Dad
  • dcha
    dcha Member Posts: 50


    I'm getting main vents installed next week. wish me luck~!
  • Brad White
    Brad White Member Posts: 2,399
    Keep us posted

    What I find handy (and learned here on the Wall, where else?) is that instead of installing one vent on that first nipple, come into a tee and make "antlers" or a menorah of tees and nipples to allow several vents. This way you can add one or subtract one (by removing or adding plugs and vents) as you fine-tune the venting time.

    Should be fun!

    I mean, some engineer-types think so.... :)
    "If you do not know the answer, say, "I do not know the answer", and you will be correct!"



    -Ernie White, my Dad
  • dcha
    dcha Member Posts: 50


    thanks, but tough for me to visualize. do you have a diagram to explain what you mean?
  • Brad White
    Brad White Member Posts: 2,399
    Try This

    Here is a typical abbreviated "Vent Menorah". Not the only way, just one way. The plugs at the ends allow adding more if you messed up.
    "If you do not know the answer, say, "I do not know the answer", and you will be correct!"



    -Ernie White, my Dad
  • mike jones_2
    mike jones_2 Member Posts: 92
    check brad's post above -

    check brad's post above - You need something to stop the steam from humidifying your house inadvertently once it arrives. You cannot stay there to police it.

    If, as you say, you get the radiator hot instantly, did you use the right vent? A Gorton D might work well. Venting is the same as a Gorton #1 which can do a small main. A Heat Timer Varivalve vents even more and is adjustable.

    i think what he's saying is you must have a vent valve that closes when it heats up.

    you could be making worse problems. search posts here on radiator steam vents and you might get further with issues like pressure or wet steam. good luck.
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