Radiator Valves

TeachMeSteam

Another question on radiator valves.



I have these old Maid o' Mists that I am replacing with Gorton's.



I know if they fail close, you can't blow through them. And, you can boil them in vinegar.



But, how do you know if they fail open? Some of them seem to constantly hiss. I can't see any steam coming out of them. (I guess if you have dry steam, you shouldn't be seeing steam.) So, how do I know if it's air or actual steam?

crash2009

I don't have

 any Maid O Mist, but I do have a lot of Gortons.  They look very similar.  If a Gorton was stuck open, you could blow through it, right side up, and upside down, so I think the Maid O Mist could be tested the same way.  Let me see If I can write this in English.

To test Maid O Mist for stuck open, turn it upside down and try to blow through it.  If you can blow through it, while it is upside down it is stuck open.  Boiling in vinegar and a good whack with the handle of a screwdriver will sometimes get them un-stuck.  After you get it unstuck it wouldn't hurt to blow them out with compressed air.

TeachMeSteam

I'll try it

Let me see if it works....