Shutting off 2nd floor rads?

Kate Vachon

We have a single thermostat 2-story home using steam heat. Our uninsulated (brick exterior) first floor is always cold while our insulated (roof and shakes exterior) second floor is always roasting, like 15-20 degrees hotter. We are melting up there!

Can we completely shut off the radiators upstairs? Will that affect our pipes/system?

Any other suggestions?

We keep the temp at 68 during the day and down to 64 at night. How low can we set the thermostat without freezing the pipes at night?

We can't insulate the first floor at this time. It's too big of a project with plaster interior walls and a brick exterior.

Thanks,

Scott and Kate
Massachusetts

Jerry Withers

Sounds like you could use some Thermostatic radiator valves to help push the steam to the radiators that you want the heat at. I installed them in my 160 year old brick house and they have helped greatly to get an even distribution of heat.

Unknown

As Jerry suggested you might put TRVs on second floor radiators.

A "quicky" explanation on TRVs - Normal radiator vents allow the air in the radiator to escape but close when the steam reaches them. TRVs (Thermostatic Radiator Valves) have the same function as normal radiator vents but also have the ability to stay closed if the room is at /or above the temperature they are set for. If the vents in the TRVs are closed, the air in the radiator can not escape and since the radiator is filled with air, the steam can't get in and heat the radiator. When the room heat drops below the set temperature on the TRV, it goes back to functioning like a "normal" vent.

TRVs basically are used to control over heating in a room. They are easy to install - you just replace the normal radiator vent (the silver bullet gizmo on the opposite side of the radiator from steam pipe) with a TRV. On a single pipe steam system, each TRV must have a vacuum breaker as this allows air to re-enter the radiator after the boiler ends its cycle.

As TRVs are used on other types of heating systems, make sure you order the model for 1 Pipe Steam systems. It must come with a vacuum breaker!

The OPSK TRV- It is considered one of the best but IS expensive!

http://www.maconcontrols.com/pdfs/OPSK1204.pdf

Danfoss TRVs are also very good.

This link is a Danfoss supplier:

http://www.pexsupply.com/product_dtl.asp?pID=5551&brand=Danfoss&cID=789

This link is a spec sheet on a Danfoss Model RA 2000 1 PS (1 Pipe Steam)

http://na.heating.danfoss.com/PCMPDF/RA2000 1PS-DS.pdf

This link is to some animations of how the Danfoss TRVs work. The model shown is for hot water. The steam is exactly the same except a vacuum breaker is added.

http://na.heating.danfoss.com/Content/161A8B0F-A195-42B2-9487-7EE4083398CF_MNU17424414_SIT209.html

If you don't already have them, you might want to get Dan's books on Steam Heating. (See "A Steamy Deal" at the bottom of this page) Start with "We Got Steam Heat". It is written for the homeowner and will explain all about home steam heating. Easy reading and crammed full of information. They are a "must" for the homeowner with a steam heating system.

- Rod

nicholas bonham-carter

uneven heating

sounds like a venting problem to me. sooner or later you should check your main vents, so why not now? get new big gortons, if they do not function well.

next check your pressure-should be below 1 psi, and 12 oz. is even better, you may need a vaporstat. a good low pressure gauge [gaugestore.com 0-2 psi] will show you where you are.

when you have got the venting and pressure corrected, i think you will find that the heat is much more even than it was before, as the original installers knew how to size the rads for each room. you may also have to replace some vents on the rads, but they are generally less abused than the main vents.

i realise that it is difficult for many to spend money these days, but it would be justified if it solved all the problems. naturally your system when first installed was even, economical, and quiet-why not return it to its original state?

as rod has said, a good steam book will answer many questions, and make you a more informed customer of your steam pro/installer.--nbc