One Pipe Steam System, only heating 1/2 the house

John_187

Hey guys, thanks for all the advise...

In an attempt to troubleshoot my system, as suggested I removed the main vent from the side of the system that is not getting heat and it didn't make a difference. The radiators and return remained cold and a very small amount of cold air came out of the open pipe... never any steam. Other than having a pro come to visit ($ I don't have right now) do you have any other suggestions. Is it possible I have a blockage and if so (given the 1st radiator on the line doesn't get hot) can I assume that it's between the first radiator on the line and the boiler?

In the event I do need a pro... do you know anyone in the Somerset County New Jersey area that is good with one pipe steam systems?

Again, thanks for all your help.

John_187

Need advise on one pipe steam system only heating 1/2 house

Hi and Happy Thanksgiving to all!

This is my first time posting here, came across this board on Google... wow what a wealth of knowledge. So I'm hoping you can help me. I am having problems with my one pipe steam system. Primary symptom is that only the radiators in the front of my house get hot and the ones in the back stay cold and the system seems to be coming on alot. In addition, there is some loud hissing and minimal spitting coming from the radiators that do get hot and some minor hissing coming from the radiators that do not get hot.

Background: Been living in the house 10 years (house is actually about 70 yrs old) and had to replace the boiler 3 years ago, the old one was from the mid 60s and had cracked. To the best of my knowledge prior to the 60s boiler there was a coal fired boiler in the house. The system is a one pipe system in which a line comes off the boiler and feeds two pipes one going to the front and one going to the back of the house (in addition, there are two return lines). The radiators in the front (1st and 2nd floors) get very hot and the ones in the back (1st and 2nd floors) stay ice cold and the return line from the back radiators never even gets warm. The house is a two story house with one zone on the first floor. In an attempt to trouble shoot the problem, I covered the vents in the front with tape. By doing this the radiators in the back did eventually get hot, but it took a long time and I had to keep the thermostat up very high. Once I removed the tape from the vents in the front, they started hissing like crazy and heated up immediately. I have checked all the vents in the house and they all seem to be working (some amount of hissing coming from them, event the cold radiators).

Please help... funds are very low and I'm hoping I can resolve this myself.

Thanks,
John

Jeff_17

Sounds like

it could be a couple small problems....

Check the main vent on the rear main that stays cold. It could be stuck shut not allowing air to escape...replace it is the best solution...

Or check the pressure on the boiler. It might be running too high causing that vent to close causing air to stop the flow of steam! Should not be a big problem.

peter_20

uneven heat

John,
As you mentioned that you taped it and the other get hot. The one get very hot, you need to close a little stem valve at the radiator not the vavle to the radiator. And wire open with the cold one.

Fred Harwood_2

Uneven heat

Hour need to prove that your main vents are working well. That one main not getting hot is the clue.

John_187

thanks for the advise on the main vent

Thanks for the advise on the main vent, I'll give it a closer look tonight, however I'm pretty sure that it was replaced a few years ago when the boiler was replaced. To prove that the vent is defective, would running the system without the vent tell me more (e.g. removing it and leaving the pipe open) or is that asking for trouble? Also, not sure how to adjust pressure, is this a simple task?

Thanks,
John

Fred Harwood_2

vents

Generally, pressure but no heat is a venting problem. Turn off the boiler, remove the cold main vent. Restart the boiler, run until steam come out of the hole. Shut off the boiler. If the main got hot and steam came out, the vent was the problem. Check with Steamhead for the number and kind of replacement vent.

Steamhead (in transit)

John, it might be best

to call a pro. Fixing this situation would probably reduce your fuel consumption too, so the investment would be worth it.

Where are you located? Have you tried the Find a Professional page of this site (under Resources, above)?

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

clammy

coal boiler

Check your basement piping to ensure that you have main vents alot of coal to gas or oil conversesion that are done the contractors do not install main vents alot of the older converted coal boilers i come across have no main vents due to the long burn times with coal the fire was not controlled by a thernmostat(on/off) so long burn times where excepted ,if you find no mnain vents on your piping you should contact a pro and have them cut in they will get the air out oif the meins and to you rads quicker and if your rad vebnts are over 5 years old they have paid there dues replace them in my eyes every bad vent id just like giving the gas or oil co more of your money and wasting engery

HitzKup_2

Check your pipes

Check the piping for proper pitch. You have pooling water somewhere.

Chas_2

other things to check

from the way out side it seems your system is out of balance ,just for giggles take the main vent off of the main which heat fine and install a plug then take this vent and install it in your hard to heat steam main ,turn your boiler on and see how it performs ,here's a couple of other questions what kind or brand vents are you using both on your raditors and on your mains ,not all vents are created even .The reason for removing and plugging a main is some times on older system i have seen that main which heat to quick as compared to say a shorter main with less rads is that the the shorter mains with less rads has a much smaller and more restrictive equilvent vent capacity as compare to the seemling longer and more rads main by sometimes removing the main vent from the larger main and plugging it some times puts the system in balance but this is dependant upon the size and quality of your rad and main vents i am a gorton guy they are to me the best but usually always hard to get the worst ones in my mind is the vari vents just not designed to my likings orfice outlet larger then piping connection and can cause condensate drainage from smaller teel or cast conventors but that's just my observations ,don't give up peace nd good luck clammy