Radiator Banging and more

New_MA_Homeowner

I have a 1920's one pipe steam heat system. I have one radiator on the second floor that was gurgling (sounding like someone blowing air into a glass of water with a straw), so I shimmed it and changed the steam release valve on it (right now it has a Varivalve on it) and made sure the return pipe valve was open all the way. Now it bangs horribly! Ive had a plumber (who installs boilers) look at it three times to no avail.

I have videotaped the sounds, so you can hear what the issues are:

Here is the context: It was 66 degrees in the house. At 6:30pm, the programming on the thermostat takes it up to 67 degrees. The video you are seeing is during that time.



It bangs as the boiler starts up:



[url=https://exchange.wpi.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=23ece893d9d94f0ba047f1a416fb76e5&URL=https%3a%2f%2f<a href="http://www.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3deCG2g-yUfzU">www.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3deCG2g-yUfzU</a>]<span style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="color:#0066cc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCG2g-yUfzU</span></span> (starting at 1 min 25 seconds in)



And as it cools down (this is only a short clip of the banging...it goes on like this for about 1.5 hours after the heat stops about every 30-45 seconds)



[url=https://exchange.wpi.edu/owa/redir.aspx?C=23ece893d9d94f0ba047f1a416fb76e5&URL=https%3a%2f%2f<a href="http://www.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3d4PMkLOWtT8w">www.youtube.com%2fwatch%3fv%3d4PMkLOWtT8w</a>]<span style="text-decoration:underline;"><span style="color:#0066cc">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PMkLOWtT8w</span></span> (starting at 1 min 10 seconds in)



One thing I've noticed since we started tackling this issue  (changing the valve, shimming it) is this radiator  and the one in the room next to it now get insanely hot fast--the covers almost become painful to touch, when the downstairs radiator covers (same brand, except one) and the rest of the radiator covers upstairs (same brand) are still only lukewarm. These used to be the last radiators to get hot when the heat came on in the house. Is there something to that--perhaps part of the problem?



Also, in the heating up clip, you can hear the radiator almost breathe out air as the boiler kicks on right at the start of the clip. It has always done that--even in the summer when the boiler kicks on for hot water (tankless hot water). Could that be part of the issue?



Thoughts? Or recommendations for someone in the Worcester, Massachusetts area who can fix this once and for all.

BobC

Too fast?

If you vent a radiator too fast the condensate can form too fast and that can lead to water hammer. Also the radiator slope should be enough to encourage the water to drain out, don't overdo it. The boiler pressure should be no higher than 2PSI, make sure the main air valves on the steam mains are working and that they can vent fast enough to clear the air out of the mains fast.



Varivalves vent to fast for many systems, turn that valve down to minimum and see how it works.



Bob

New_MA_Homeowner

Pressure?

Thanks so much. Dumb question (I really am a novice at this)--how do I tell if the pressure is too high? I'm assuming there is a gauge on the boilder that I would read when the heat is on, correct? If it is too high, then what?

Just turned the varivalve down--we'll see if that maybe helps.

BobC

gauge and pressuretrol

Boilers work best at low pressure, on your boiler you should have a pressure gauge and a pressure controller that is called a pressuretrol.



Take some pictures of the boiler, the pressuretrol, pressure gauge, and the piping around the boiler so we can see what your dealing with. You can buy books on this site that will help you understand steam systems, they will save you a lot of money by giving you the knowledge to work on them yourself or to make sure anybody you hire knows what they are doing.



Bob