Radiator spewing out water

Juan_3

My family and I live in an apartment that has steam heat. There is a riser that comes up into our space and branches out to two radiators: one in the kitchen and one in a contiguous space that we’ve turned into my toddler son’s room. The radiator in the kitchen has never had a problem. The radiator in my son’s room would generate a lot of clanging noises whenever we had heat flowing to it. The clanging was really loud. The building had plumbers come take a look at it. They replaced the pipe that goes from the radiator to the riser and made sure it had the proper pitch. They also replaced the radiator and the valve that you can use to turn the radiator on and off. The clanging stopped. Before we get heat, you can hear air leaving the radiator through an escape valve and then minutes after you can feel the heat coming from the radiator. The problem is that now we get a lot of water spurting out of the same valve from which the air escapes. It’s enough so that it goes through the grill of the metallic cover in front of the radiator and out onto the floor. What can we do to fix this?

Unknown

check the main

Check the main vent(s) and near boiler pipings as well the pipe insulation.

Juan_3

How would the pipe insulation affect this?

nicholas bonham-carter

spewing air vent

it's sometimes possible that an uninsulated riser in a steam system can condense the rising steam so quickly, that there is more water than usual in the radiator which is picked up by the steam and thrown out of the vent.

you say they checked the pitch of the pipe, but how is the pitch of the radiator itself? only a level will show if it slopes towards the entry pipe.

i would suggest to the management that they get a copy of "the lost art of steam heat" from here, which will go over the conditions which can cause this. here is a list for the moment:

1. is the boiler water dirty [can send too much water, and too little steam up the pipe]?

2. how high above the boiler is your apt?

3.is the steam pressure as low as possible [under 16 ounces]?

4.what is the make of the air vent [do not remove-a picture will do] some makes are more spitty than others.

5.ask them if the main steam lines are well vented also
--nbc

Unknown

another thing

Re read the 1st post,saying the plumber replaced the pipe going to radiator, there may be treading oil left over inside pipe and will make boiler to produces wet steam.. Pictures of system will help us help you.

Juan_3

spwewing radiator

Thank you very much for your reply. The radiator is definitely angled in such a way as to make condensed water flow back from where the steam came. I'll take a picture tonight and post it. I'll also be sure to post a picture of the valve. Also, I did not mention that this is not a problem in the spaces below or above us. We are on the second floor. It's also not a problem in our kitchen. The radiator there is fed from the same riser as the radiator in my son's room. Thanks again.

Juan_3

spewing radiator

Attached are pictures of the system and the valve that is spewing water.

Steamhead (in transit)

You're venting it too fast

That's not a radiator, it's a convector. The vent on it is known for letting air out very fast. It's too fast for that unit. The shutter on the vent may or may not be able to slow it down enough to work.

The element in that convector is basically three small pipes with headers on either end. This does not leave enough room for steam and condensate (water) to get out of each other's way if the steam is rushing in too fast. So the water leaves thru the vent.

Find a supplier that has a Hoffman #41 vent in stock, buy one and put it on in place of the vent that's there now. I bet you find it solves the problem.

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

Juan_3

spewing convector

Thank you. We let the super know and he has just installed the valve you recommended. I will post the results. Thank you very, very much. This has been driving us crazy.

Juan_3

replaced vent - now the clanging is back

We replaced the vent with the Hoffman #41, which our super happened to have. Now the clanging is back, which I suppose indicates trapped water, and there is no heat coming out of the radiator/convector, even when heat is coming from the kitchen radiator (which is connected by a separate pipe to the same riser). This is where we were when it all started. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks.

nicholas bonham-carter

clanging

did we ask you if the valve was fully open? if steam valves are partly closed, the steam will seep into, but the water will not be able to leave, the radiator. sometimes the disk on the valve stem will fall down and partially plug the valve. the super could unscrew the bonnet of the valve and check that.--nbc