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Airing out radiant loops

Bebes
Bebes Member Posts: 61
Hi again. Can someone run through how I see if there's air in one of my radiant heat loops. I can't quite remember all the steps. Thanks.

Comments

  • Bebes
    Bebes Member Posts: 61
    Lets see.....

    what I remember. I put the hose on, shut off the other loops, and open up the faucet. Nothing happened. I know at some point I raise the lever on the bell looking thing, to increase the pressure, but not past 30 lbs. I think I was supposed to raise the thermostat, which I didn't do.I also remembered to kink the hose, so I could see if there's air in there. Feel free to tell me the names of things, and of course correct my procedure where it's off.
  • Bebes
    Bebes Member Posts: 61
    P.S.

    I have a Weil-McLean system, with manifolds on each floor.
  • Slimpickins
    Slimpickins Member Posts: 347
    no way to tell

    There are so many different piping arrangments it would be almost impossible to tell you the procedure. I guess you could post a bunch of pics and maybe someone could talk you though it. If you have air in the system there is something wrong, air eliminator could be clogged, bad expansion tank, bad fill valve or clogged screen on the backflow prevent or they could be in reverse order. Doing it wrong could cause you more troubles. It's probably best to call in a professional especially if you haven't had it serviced in years and they could show you how to do it and figure out why air got into the system in the first place. Don't be afraid to ask for their most experienced boiler tech or better yet, check out 'Find a Contractor' at the top of this page for someone in your area. Good luck!
  • Bebes
    Bebes Member Posts: 61
    I could post some pics

    I've done it before, so I have a sense of it. I just can't seem to remember all the steps. Maybe I'll get some pics up here...I'm sure that will help.
  • icesailor
    icesailor Member Posts: 7,265
    Air Heads:

    Think of your heating system loops like roller coasters. Round and round you go.

    There's a way to get on (in) and a way to get off (out). The water can only go in one direction. You must stop it from going through the boiler. The water gets off at a drain before it gets the boiler.

    Because I pipe all my boiler feeds into the bottom of the boiler, when I purge, if the water coming back from the system isn't getting hot, it isn't purged. I put a hose on the return and put it into a 5 gallon bucket. I watch for the bubbles. The hot water comes soon after the bubbles stop.

    Someone may have a more complicated method. Mine is simple.
  • Bebes
    Bebes Member Posts: 61
    Thanks

    That seems pretty straight forward. I appreciate it.
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