Water hammer and cold radiator

geoffh

Stats:

House built - 1927

Size - 1400 square feet, 2 stories

Boiler - Brand new, installed Oct 2013. Located in basement.

Radiators - Old (but with all new vents and valves, installed Oct 2013)

Thermostat - Nest



Problem:

Boiler in guest room does not get hot unless heat runs for extended periods of time. When heat turns on, air rushes out of vent. Vent is set to "8" (highest setting on scale of 1-8). After some time, pipe to valve gets hot. After additional time, clanking occurs. There is a "gurgling" noise from area as well. After additional time, radiator eventually gets hot. There is a radiator directly on the other side of the wall the problem radiator is on that is in the bathroom. It is functioning normally.



I have tried levering up the far side of the radiator so there is a grade. I placed two pennies under each of the far radiator feet and the radiator is now tilting very slightly toward the valve. This does not seem to have made much of a difference.



Additional Information:

Water in boiler site glass is about 1/2 up.

When boiler is on, water drops all the way to the bottom. Red "low water cutoff" blinks and water comes back into site glass. Continues like this for a few cycles before staying in green.

Water in siteglass is mostly clear but has some rust looking sediment on top.

My boiler runs for about 2-3 hours per day when set to 62oF with outside temperature in the 20s-30s.

My boiler runs for about 5+ hours per day when set to 70oF (daytime and 68 nighttime) with outside temperature in the 20s-30s.



Here are some photos to help:

Siteglass

<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img842/748/didc.jpg">http://imageshack.us/a/img842/748/didc.jpg</a>



A gauge while system is on

<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img11/9804/fvpf.jpg">http://imageshack.us/a/img11/9804/fvpf.jpg</a>



Pressure while unit is on

<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img17/3801/tfa0.jpg">http://imageshack.us/a/img17/3801/tfa0.jpg</a>



Ventire No. 3 main valve (I think)

<a href="http://imageshack.us/a/img834/2579/cwxq.jpg">http://imageshack.us/a/img834/2579/cwxq.jpg</a>

geoffh

Two more photos

Here are two more pictures:

First is the radiator in question, second is the level showing the tilt

http://imageshack.us/a/img22/1083/zj29.jpg

http://imageshack.us/a/img856/8826/q21x.jpg

nicholas bonham-carter

One cold rad

Since there are 2 rads, one on each side of the wall, with one working, and one not; so they probably share a common riser, with a tee on it feeding both sides of the wall. If the tee is tilted, then one side will not drain, but the other side will. Sometimes, by raising up all 4 feet of the problem radiator, the tee can be made level, and then steam will flow.--NBC

geoffh

Leveling radiators

That's a really interesting idea. The working radiator is in a bathroom where a new tile floor was installed (prior to my moving in). Could this have raised that radiator, thereby lowering the other?



When raising all four feet, how do I tell how much is necessary? Is this something I should consider doing myself or hire a plumber to look at

nicholas bonham-carter

One quarter at a time

Use quarters under all feet. Raise the radiator with a lever and fulcrum, and go up in increments of one quarter at a time under all feet.

Inquiring minds here will want to know how you are getting on with your Nest.--NBC

geoffh

Nest

Two features I've enjoyed so far are the ability to detect relative humidity (my house is currently at 20% -- ouch!)

and the ability to see exactly when my system turns on and off for each heating cycle. It also gives me the total number of ours my unit ran that day. So it's pretty simple to see how changes can benefit your energy usage.

geoffh

I was wrong

After looking more closely, it turns out that the bathroom radiator and bedroom radiator are not directly opposite each other on a wall. The bathroom radiator is about 2-4' closer to the center of the house, with the bedroom radiator being on the very farthest wall (furthest from the boiler as well).



Is it still likely a t split was used ?



Both valves go directly down into the floor