clogged/blocked radiator?

nicholas bonham-carter

you can try one more thing: turn off the boiler, then you can remove the bonnet of the steam valve to see if the valve disk has fallen off the stem, and is now blocking the valve seat. if it is, just remove it; as you should NOT use the valve at all. you may also be able to see any other blockage through the opening.
use a crescent wrench to get a good grip on the flats. some judicious "tapping" helps too!--nbc

Papa

clogged/blocked radiator?

I have a 1-pipe steam system. All the radiators heat properly except one on the second floor. The heat will make it pass the supply valve and go a few inches up one column (out of two) in the first section (out of six) of the radiator. Even if the boiler continues to run the heat will not progress any further into the radiator.

I've tried different vents and no vent at all. This doesn't help. The only change that occurs is that with a fast vent some hammering begins to occur.

I'm wondering if it is possible for a radiator to become blocked/clogged. If so, what is the best way to resolve this. If not, does anyone have an suggestions. I've read Dan's books, but don't recall reading about this specific issue. Thanks for any suggestions.

nicholas bonham-carter

blocked rad?

you could try making up a pipe connection from hose pipe to 1/8 in. vent size. screw it into the vent tapping of the radiator and turn on the hose water--very gently.if there is any blockage in the pipe it will be washed down into the return, hopefully not to cause some new problem there!

DON'T FORGET--NOT TOO MUCH PRESSURE!!!
nbc

Timco

I followed NBC's trick and it worked great, but be ready for a TON of black death to be flushed back to the boiler. You can but attachments to connect a garden hose to the kitchen faucet's airator threads...

Tim

Bill_110

If you have a drain in your wet return line maybe you could try flushing the flushed out radiator gunk before it reaches your boiler.

One other thing I noticed in my piping, thanks to the knuckleheads who bullheaded my system takeoffs, is that bullheading, or diverging two lines from one tee, seems to result in unequal heat distribution. I noticed in looking over the old steam piping in my two story home that there is a pipe going from the first floor to the second which bullheads to serve two radiators, and there seems to be a difference between how well they heat. I suppose that is one possible explanation in certain situations where a particular radiator may not heat as well.

Papa

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll give it a try, although I may wait until the winter is over and I'll probably see if I am able to disconnect the radiator where it connects to the supply valve so all the sludge does not run back to the boiler. I'm paranoid about doing this stuff in the winter and having it result in even bigger problems.

nicholas bonham-carter

cleaning the radiator

but do you want it on your floor?
i would make sure you have a drain for your wet return and blow it in there, and drain away in the basement.remeber the hardford loop will keep it out of the boiler if you have a drain for the wet return.--nbc

Papa

No drain in the basement unfortunately. I was thinking of lifting it into a wash basin/bucket or something, or if necessary having someone (or two) help me drag it outside.