Removing air valves in one pipe system

Eric Parker

Hi,

I have a one pipe steam system and the four radiators upstairs were not heating well.  A year ago I bought all new air valves throughout the system but still the issue was not solved.  I noticed that if I removed the air valve completely on one of the poor performing radiators it seemed to work much better.  I then removed on all four and now the radiators on both floors seems to be running better.  Now I would like to know what is impact of keeping system running like this.  Will system run longer and cost more money?  I am on a thermostat so I do not believe so.  Will radiator become dirty on inside?  Can anyone help?

Thanks in advance,

Eric

kcopp

the problem you....

may very well run into is that the steam will "pour" out into the room. This will not condence and return to the boiler. You could end up w/ adding water to the boiler where you did not have to. Also steam could very well burn an unsuspecting person.

Charlie from wmass

What brand of vents did you buy?

LEAVING VENTS OFF IS VERY DANGEROUS! The fresh water the boiler will require will soon eat through the cast iron. Also burns from the steam escaping the vent holes is a big issue. Water vapor you can see. Steam you can not see. When the vents are in place how often do you need to add water? Has the boiler been cleaned and service as of late? By cleaned I mean actually opened and brushed and vacuumed out.

BobC

Main vent

Do you have an air vent on the steam main and is it large enough? It sounds like your radiator vents are venting the entire system, they are only supposed to vent the radiator and it's feed pipe.



Also if the thermostat has a selectable CPH setting, Select 1 or "Steam and gravity hot water". A lot of these come preprogrammed for hot air and that doesn't work at all well for steam.



Bob

Eric Parker

Main air vent

-The boiler WAS cleaned completely about 2 years ago... it was open and cleaned and vacuumed by a service company.

- I guess a issue could be this main air vent.  When I removed all the air vents at the radiators a few years back all of them were very dirty and clogged...so probably the main air vent would be the same.  I dont even know where this main air vent would is.  What do I look for?  Does anyone have any picture of what it should look like.

Thanks in advance for all the replies.

STEAM DOCTOR

DON'T

Dan has a story in one of his books about someone who left a sleeping child in a room with the air vent removed. The steam displaced the air and the child suffocated to death. My mother actually knows  the people involved in the story.

Rod

Main Vent Location

Hi- A main vent will look like either a bullet shaped object pointing upward or a can of tuna on its side. You'll find the main vents either after the last radiator on the main or on the return pipe before it drops to floor level. (I've attached a drawing of a typical 1 pipe parallel steam system. There are also some very good books on steam on this website. I'd recommend "We Got Steam Heat!". It's written for the homeowner and is easy to rad and in an evening or two you'll be light years ahead in your knowledge about residential steam heating.  The knowledge in this book will save you a lot of money and make you more comfortable.

http://www.heatinghelp.com/products/Books/5/61/We-Got-Steam-Heat-A-Homeowners-Guide-to-Peaceful-Coexistence

- Rod

BobC

main vent location

On the steam main in the basement there should be a short pipe nipple and a main air vent near the end of the main (usually a long 2 or 2-1/2" pipe); it can also be near the end of the dry return which comes off the end of the steam main.



The main air valve may look like a larger version of your radiator vents or it may be a large copper or green in color. that is there to handle all the air in your steam main and the boiler, the radiator vents then just have to handle the ar in the radiator and the pipe that feeds them.



Bob

crash2009

Here is a picture of

 three different kinds of main vents.

Eric Parker

Replies

Crash2009.. thanks for the picture.  I believe I have located the main vent now.  I will replace it and see if it helps.

Rod...I actually already have book... I just need to find it

Dave in QCA

PUT THE VENTS BACK IN THE RADIATORS!!

I too, know of a situation where someone thought they discovered a great way to humidfy their bedroom by taking out their steam radiator vent.



In this case, it was still mild weather when they took the vent out.  Then a few weeks later, they left for the weekend.  When they got home, they couldn't get their door open.  During the weekend the weather had gotten much colder and as a result, the boiler was running alot, blowing tremendous amounts of steam into their apartement.  The humidity cause the doors to swell so they couldn't get them open.  There was condensation running down all of the walls, and in general, quite a bit of damage.  Fortunately, no one was hurt or killed.



My apartment had a vent that was loose and leaking.  The threads were stripped and someone had attempted to use string to help it stay in.  (teflon tape had not been invented yet)  They had to have someone drill it out, then tap the hole for 1/4".  Then, they put in a 1/4 x 1/8" bushing so that the vent could be reinstalled.   The damage that can be caused to the threads in the hole in the radiator, simply by messing with the vent, has always made me reluctant to join the "turn the vent upside down to shut off your radiator crowd".