How do I turn off my radiator?

RyanUES

This is an insanely basic question, but I've never lived in a place where heat comes from a radiator. I can't contact my super at the moment, so I'm turning to this forum.



I'm roasting in my apartment and I have no clue how to turn off my radiator. Attached is a photo. There's some notion of a valve on the left, and barely visible is a protrusion on the right that appears to be a vent (I can get a better photo of it if needed). Any thoughts?



Thanks!

crash2009

At the bottom left

of your photo is the shutoff valve.  The handle is missing.  Turn the shaft to the right, like screwing in a screw.  It is not recomended to grab it with plyers as you may/likely damage the shaft.  The handle is supposed to look like this.  The shutoff valve is not an adjustable thing it is supposed to be on or off.  No in-between.  Also, that thing over on the right at the top is an air valve.  Some air valves are adjustable, we may be able to tell you if we could see a better pic of the air valve. 

RyanUES

I think that worked!

Thanks for your reply! About 10 minutes after tightening the left shaft, the heat has died down - hopefully directly a result of what I did and not because it's been turned off building-wide. Attached is a photo of the right valve.

crash2009

Report this event

to your landlord, and ask him to put a handle on that valve before you burn yourself.  Hardware store very inexpensive two bucks.  Also report that your air vent might not be working properly.  The air vent is supposed to open and close automaticly to make your place comfortable, not too hot, not too cold.  Now you are gonna freeze with the shutoff turned off.  Put the report in writing, sign and date it, make a copy, and give him one.   Oh yea, your air vent looks like a Gorton or a Maid O Mist, it appears to be non-adjustable.  There should be some writing on it somewhere so you can tell us what kind it is.

TomM

you could also......

you could also do the following:

1- buy an adjustable radiator vent such as Hoffman 1A or Vari-Vent brand or whatever they are called.  This would replace the thingy on the right side of the radiator.  Adjustable ones have a rotating top that can help control more or less heat output.

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2- buy a 'thermostatic radiator valve' which is a technological advancement of the adjustable air vent, such as a Danfoss RA2000.

[u][color=#810081]http://www.pexsupply.com/Danfoss-013G0140-Thermostatic-Rad-Valve-w-Vac-Breaker-1-Pipe-Steam-5551000-p[/color][/u]

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3- turn the air vent (the one on the right side) upside down, which will stop all heat (assuming the air vent works properly).  I do this on my third floor since nobody lives up there.

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4- sit around in your boxers.

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5- open window.

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6- start a new company called "ryan's sweat lodge" and charge $10 for admission to your apartment.

Jean-David Beyer

Tell your landlord...

"5- open window."



Tell your landlord you are going to do this, and why. Perhaps that will motivate him to do something about the problem. Or he will cancel your lease. You never know, of course.

David Nadle

Get a TRV

An adjustable vent might help if your room is the only one that's roasting. But many times in these situatiions it's a building-wide problem. A TRV will allow you to set a room temperature at which point the radiator will be shut off. Because your apartment has one-pipe steam you can install this very simply without making changes that can't be quickly undone.



There are several manufacturers of TRVs, I think Danfoss works well and they might be a little easier to purchase on the internet. You will need three components: The one pipe steam valve (Danfoss 013G0140), the operator (013G8250), and a 1/8" straight-stem air vent. Check the vent you have now, it should have a number or letter like 5, 6, C, D... Gorton makes these vents in a straight stem version too. Get the same vent or maybe one size smaller.

heatguy

watch it

you should never turn off a rad by shutting service valve steam in most cases gets into rad turns to water and is trapped because you shut the valve.it will come shooting out of air valve( the thing on the other side of rad).you control the rad by the air valve turn it upside down and you shut off that rad get an adjustable air valve and you can control the heat