Burnham - how to bleed for consistent heating

SJ

I had baseboard heating installed in my 100-year old up-down duplex 2 summers ago. Last winter went fine, now my upstairs renter tells me she has warmth in two rooms and not in the other two. I've heard the term 'bleeding' - am completely ignorant about this and am hoping it's an easy fix. I could call Excel Energy, but saw this site and thought someone could probably give me the information I need in laymen's terms! Thanks -

Chas_2

Questions

I think folks are going to need more to go on than baseboard heat. Ill assume it is hydronic (water) heat or is it steam? Electric? A picture might help.

burnerman_2

bleeding

the term is to allow something out slow thus bleeding air the room or rooms that r cold have a pocket of air at the end of the loop there should be a bleeder either a screw driver or a bleeder wrench(can be purched at lowes or home depot) start slow open til air starts comin out then water (put a pan under it or a towel) the longer u bleed the more air when u get a steady flow of water shut the bleeder and do the other baseboards that r cold royboy

Brad White

Bleeding- A symptom not a disease

The need to bleed means, obviously, that you have air in your system. Air can be sucked into your system believe it or not. The way this happens is if your circulator (AKA "pump") pumps toward the expansion tank rather than away from it. When piped this way, all of the circulators energy draws a negative (sub-atmospheric) pressure on the suction side of it. Automatic air vents, pump seals, valve glands, etc. on that side of the system can then draw in air at opportunity. This accumulated air finds it's way to the upper parts of the system where it blocks the flow of water, thus blocks heating. Sort of an embolism or vapor-lock if you will.

I would first check to see where the expansion tank connects relative to the circulator.

Sure, you can bleed and bleed some more but in the end the situation will repeat unless you have it piped correctly.

What I mention is not the only cause but probably the most common cause.

burnerman_2

another thought

as brad said it can be sucked in we had a job in our area that that air vents on the returns 3 total coustomer was always getting air we serviced the burner and they had a plummer (not that i am knocking plummers) but we did not know they were gettin air and they never complained one nite they called us both seperate proplems thats when we removed the vents and put in plugs no more air from there royboy

Pam_5

Cold radiator

My home @ 75 years old and is heated with hot water radiators. Along with a new boiler installed in 1997, we also had a new circulating pump, automatic fill valve, and air separator/air vent installed. The system has its original piping with a no diaphragm expansion tank. We never had a problem. This past summer we had updated our kitchen and replaced 2 traditional radiators with 2 new flat panel types. This remodeling had the pipe system opened for @ a week. Problem: One radiator (never touched during remodeling) remains cold. This radiator is one of the first loops branching off from the boilers supply line feeding the rest of the house. SYMPTOM: The supply pipe to the radiator is hot but the return is ice cold. We have "bled" this radiator numerous times. My contractor disconnected and flushed that pipe loop. He also installed a new circulating pump, replaced the automatic fill valve, and replaced the "Supply" and "Return" flow valves on that loop. Although we continued to bleed that radiator, the symptom remains the same. Any suggestions? Please advise. Joe