I bought new radiator vents...

KAnbpt

I've been dealing with my landlord and the steam vents on the radiators.  They whistle, hiss, and then emit steam once the radiator is full.  I believe they need to be replaced and I finally just did it myself.  I bought new vents at Lowe's and would like some advice.



1.) The new ones are USAV 'Little Wonders.'  Are these a good comparison to the Vari-Vent Dole Series 1A's that are currently on there?  (pics)

2.) How do I adjust the new ones?  The old ones were set on 2, so I'd like to emulate that.  New new ones have a tiny protrusion on the 'knob-esque' part and that's what I've been adjusting...

3.) Am I going to hell for buying these at Lowe's or should I go pick up the Vari-Vents at the plumping specialty place...?



Thanks in advance!!

BobC

Clean the Doles

Those new USAV vents are not very well thought of, they are ok in a pinch but just don't work all that well or last. Varivents can be trouble, don't install them without a specific reason because if misused they are trouble.



The Dole vents your replacing are well made, you might just try boiling them in white vinegar for 20 minutes or so, that should get rid of any calcium deposits in them.



Try cleaning the Doles before throwing them out. You set that knob to whatever setting you think you need but be warned that some vent at the same rate no matter where you set them. In general, the lower the number the slower the venting and usually slow venting is best for radiators. Do you know if the system has a vent on the steam main and is it working?



Bob

KAnbpt

The vents are cooking as we speak

I'm pretty sure there is a vent on the system. I do know that there is a vent on one of the risers heading upstairs--it's one of those circular maid-o-mist's.  Whether it's working or not is another question.  I have reason to believe that it would be working, but judging by the state of mine, perhaps not.



I wanted to replace (or hopefully just clean) the vents, because I have a big radiator in my bedroom/living room (I live in a studio) that has been heating all the way up--which normally only 3-4 sections heat up.  When the entire thing heats up, and the sun is shining (I live in the southwest corner of the house) my apartment becomes a portal to hell.

BobC

Balance

I assume the thermostat isn't in that room that overheats with sun. What is it like in that room when the sun isn't shining?



If you don't have control of the thermostat you do have control of the vent so maybe you want a very slow vent on that large radiator so it will be slow to heat. If you do have a thermostat in the apartment you could try a slightly larger vent on the radiator in the room with the thermostat so it shuts down the heat a little sooner. It's all a matter of balance.



Something like a Maid O Mist 4 would work for real slow venting or better yet see if you can get the Maid O Mist that comes with multiple orifices. Just be aware that some Maid O Mists have threads that are too big so save the box and receipt just in case it won't fit the radiator.



Bob

KAnbpt

Hissing the entire time

I boiled and reinstalled two of the vents.  The one in the kitchen hisses and steam comes out on any setting except 2 and then a little comes out.  Condensate is actually very slowly dripping from this one as well.  The one in the living room just keeps hissing...



How much hiss is acceptable?  Also, should the hiss stop before the heating cycle does?  I understood that the hissing would stop once the vent senses the steam and will then click off so no steam escapes.

KAnbpt

No thermostat

I live in a house that was built in 1790 and then renovated to apartments in the 1940s, so the thermostat is downstairs in my landlord's apartment.  They have the thermostat in the coldest room of the house so everyone gets heat equally (which is a joke...).  Normally the heat will be around 68 or lately 66, since it's been overcast.  I prefer 68-70.

BobC

High Pressure?

The vent should vent air and close as soon as it senses the steam hitting the vent, it should not be venting steam. If the boiler pressure it too high it can damage vents, the boiler should never go over 2 PSI - doing so just wastes fuel.



If the vents are venting steam after being cleaned may have been damaged by high pressure or they have simply failed do to age. I believe the Doles are more sensitive to pressure than most so it might be worth replacing them with a Hoffman, Gorton or Maid O Mist vent. If the boiler is running at high pressure new vents may be damaged over time.



Also try to see if the main vents are working.



Bob