Cold Radiators

Tom_125

Thanks everyone for your input.
Kool Rod - I ordered that book yesterday and am pretty excited about reading it. I will check the slopes and the main vents(if I can find them), but I'm sure the book will help with that.

Tom

Tom_125

Cold Radiators

I'm having an issue with cold radiators in a 1 pipe steam system. I usually keep the thermostat at 68F. At times, one of the bedrooms (2nd floor) can get down to 58F or less.

If I remove the air valve on most radiators, they will heat up very well and then get too hot. Since my air valves haven't been cleaned or replaced in at least 10 years, I bought all new ones (adjustable ones). I made sure they were wide open, but there is still no difference from the old ones.

After a little reading, I see that I need to have a slope. As of now, they are not propped up on anything and they don't seem to be sloped.

If anyone has any info if would be most appreciated.
Thanks,
Tom

Kool Rod

Hi Tom - The first thing I would suggest is you get Dan's book, "We Got Steam Heat"

http://www.heatinghelp.com/shopcart/product.cfm?category=2-109

It's easy to read, written for the homeowner and will tell you all you need to know about residential steam systems.

On a one pipe steam system the radiators need to be sloped towards the end that the steam pipe is connected to. Check the slope with a bubble level as sometimes they look sloped but aren't because the floor has sagged. (Old house problem) The reason for the slope is so that the condensate (water) in the radiators will run back to the boiler. You should also make sure the valve on the pipe going into the radiator is fully opened. This valve operates fully open or full closed, at no time partially open/closed. That's enough on radiators.

It sounds like your problem is with the vents on your steam mains and that they need to be replaced. I would even consider adding to your main venting capacity as it really improved my system when I did so.

This is something you can do yourself though it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to get a good steam pro to look your system over for you. Take a look under the Resources Button above and then select Find A Professional to find a steam pro in your area.

Dan's book explains all about main vents etc. so the first step I'd do is get his book.

- Rod

mark ransley

Maybe radiators are level, or bad main return vents, since you have adjustable vents, I guess Dole? Close down hot rooms and open up cold room vents fully.

Big Ed_4

Balance a one pipe system

To balance a One pipe system you first want to heat up all the radiators at the same time. You first have to understand steam will take the least resistant route. There are main vent at the end of each main. Thiese are large vents sized to your main. You don't want too small of a vent , you want no resistance. This way the mains will heat up first.

You want to turn down the radiator vents to add more resistance to the radiation so the mains heat up first. Next set the radiator vents to the size radiator. Set the smallest to the lowest setting the med size to the second lowest and the largest radiator to 3.

Now you run the system and if all the rad vents make a venting noise increase all by one until the noise stops. Most vents today are quick so you may not have this problem.

Next run the system and see how the house heats. All should heat up about the same time. Some times with the up stairs or additions larger heat loss it may be too cold. If it is increase these by one so they heat faster.

Fast on the main and slow to the radiators to balace a one pipe. Resistance controls the flow of steam .

ttekushan_3

Mark--

You guys should exchange radiators-- You take their cold ones to your overheated apartment and vice versa. Everything will come out even!

Solutions like this is why I get the big bucks. :-0


-Terry

Supply House Rick

big bucks

and you deserve those big bucks!!-nbc

Kool Rod

Hi Tom- Great! You ordered "the book"! What you might do in the mean time is get to know your steam system. Take pictures of the piping around and connected to your boiler and pictures of the piping going from the boiler up to the mains.
Try to get an idea of what radiators are attached to each main. Also look for the main vents. Each individual main should have a vent (Main Vent) usually positioned after where the last radiator on that main is attached. The main vent is usually attached to a short pipe (6 inch or less) coming off the main (though it can be attached directly to the main) and it will look either like a hockey puck standing on edge or a large silver`bullet.

On multi- story houses there maybe main vents in the attic. This is especially likely if you have a pipe running up through the ceiling in the vicinity of a radiator.

The big benefit of the pictures and "introduction" to your steam system is that, as you are reading the book, you will save yourself many trips to the basement just to see if it has one of those "doodads" mentioned in the paragraph you are now reading and also helps you relate faster the concepts in the book to your system.

- Rod

Tom_125

Ok, so I haven't made my way too far into the book, but I am learning some things. For fear that I had a Knucklehead sometime in my system's history, I attached a picture of what I think was my main vent. I followed the main pipe all the way around the basement and where it comes back around, I found this. Is this a plug where a main vent should be?

Also, I just found out my boiler is leaking and so badly that it is putting out the fire. I had to relight the other day. I had a guy look at it today and we saw a stream of water leaking inside and he showed me the rusty boiler tubes. It's 16 years old, so we're going for a new one.

mark ransley

WOW, FEAR, FEAR, the sky is falling!! my boiler in a Residential 16 unit apartment building was put in in """1955""", a Kiwanee 2 pass Ng Chicago, thats 55 yrs old next season and I Repair It. One leaker and you loose it all, as you do in a in a 5 yr old junker, [ thats why you have insurance] !!

Tom_125

Are you saying I should repair it? The guy said they used to last forever and that he still works on some like that. But most of the ones like mine haven't been lasting more than 20 years.

Unknown

Hi Tom - Yes I'd say that is a pretty good candidate for a main vent location. Is it located after the last radiator?

Sorry to hear your boiler is kaput. Be sure to read what "the book " says about replacing and sizing boilers.

You have to be VERY careful you don't get a "knucklehead" to do your replacement. You might want to click on the button marked "Resources" at the top of this page and then "Find a Professional" and see if there is a steam pro located near you.

Connecting the new boiler to you system has to be done to the manufacturer of your new boiler specifications. The piping configuration near the boiler is very critical to the proper operation of your steam system. Be sure to get a copy of the I&O manual (Installation & Operation)of your new boiler it so you can check the installation instructions and make sure the installer complys with them. You can usually go to the boiler manufacturer's website and download the model's I&O manual from there.

There are sometimes several ways listed by the manufacturer on how to pipe a new boiler. Ask the guys here which one would be the most efficient.

If we can be of any help to you answering any of your questions, don't be afraid to ask.

- Rod

Unknown

Tom- Probably time to look at a new one

- Rod

nicholas bonham-carter

replace...or...repair

that's always the question. i am always a big fan of "repair", however it is not always so possible. it is always a good idea at least to compare the cost of repair, with the cost of replacement. it would also be a good idea to see if your present boiler is sized appropriately for your radiation load, which you will read about in dan's book. if you discovered by measuring the radiators that your present boiler was out of "size", then the prospect of repair would be less inviting.


from stories i have heard, with proper maintainance,boiler life could be 30-70 years.--nbc