water coming out of air valve

john_216

I had a new weill mcclain boiler installed in December. The plumber set the pressure toll at 2 lbs. One day I noticed that the Gorton #4 in the dining room leaked. So I bought a replacement. The same Gorton #4. No problems after that. Last week was a hot one in Jersey. No need to heat the house. However, last night was cold and the boiler fired in the AM. Guess what! Hot, brown water coming out of the air valve on the dining room radiator. I thought the first time it happened, the valve went bad. But not the second time. Did the plumber set the toll too high? By the way the radiator is pitched to drain.

Boiler Talk

Water coming out

I had a new boiler installed last year.  I learned a bit since then.  I had hammering in the radiator.  The radiators sounded like they had asthma breathing.  Water would shut out out of the vents. 



How is the water in you boiler?  Have you had it serviced?  Did they skim it for you?  Do you regularly drain the brown water out?  Sounds like your boiler needs cleaning, but I could be wrong.  I also added all new vents to radiators.  I added insulation to the pipes and the steam has never been quieter.  I am truly surprised that I no longer hear the radiators.    

gerry gill

i agree,

it sounds like the boiler water needs cleaning again.

nicholas bonham-carter

December boiler

Why not post a picture of your new boiler, and it's piping, so we can see if there is any other cause for the squirting vents than dirty water.--nbc

john_216

water coming out of air valves

I checked my boiler and the water was all the way to the top of the sight gauge. So I lowered it and  no more water coming out of the valve. Also, the banging pretty much ceased. Now I have to find out why the water level increased. I'm calling the AWF manufacturer tomorrow, i.e. Macdonnel Miller.

nicholas bonham-carter

Call to McDonnell-Miller

While you are dialing, find the shut-off valve for the M-M auto/over-feed, and see if your boiler water level drops. These devices I think are the cause of many a premature boiler failure because of their ability to mask leaks in the system, and because they react to other boiler problems to over-fill the boiler. In my view, they are responsible for many boiler rot-outs.--NBC

jpf321

still more info needed....

Pics of the rad including the inlet valve and piping.

Inlet diameters in relation to rad size.

Rad pics will also help us understand the type of rad.

Relation of that rad to the boiler? 1st (closest rad)? Far rad?

Gortons/Maid-O's DO NOT seal on over-water like others do/can (Hoffmans, Doles, etc) .. only on temp



When you say the glass was all the way full .. was it full into the header? or was there still some room in the glass gauge?

Do you have a fancy auto-feed with a use-meter on it?

Do you have significantly slow returns? Slow returns will/may trigger a false low water condition.

You may want to look into a VXT Auto-feed with the use-o-meter and "feed delay" capablities. I believe the only options are a 24V or 120V VXT. http://www.hydrolevel.com/new/images/literature/sales_sheets/VXT_sales_sheet.pdf



If you're going to go with an Auto Feed, I think the VXT is the best case. I don't have auto myself .. but I did put one on my aunt's system. She can make a damn good Pecan Pie, but boiler care taking just isn't her thing