Steam vents ... how can you check if they're good

Andy_Ukie

I'm new to this site and realize that I really should pick up one of the books on steam heat as things and the posts here will make more sense and i will do that but in the meantime, I've got some basic questions, that will help me in the remaining month of the heating season (I'm in lower NY state).



2 story house built in 1925. I bought the house 12 years ago and the vents are the ones that came with the house.



Our main bedroom's bathroom is the furthest away from the boiler that it could be. 25 horizontal yards and 2 stories up (16'). The recessed radiator (2' tall, 2 1/2' wide, 16 sections) never gets warm so I finally (new year's resolution) decided to look into. I found a 'heat-timer' VariValve vent on it that I could not blow air threw so I'm trying to clean it as suggested with hot vinegar. The radiator gets warm and hot when I leave it WITHOUT a vent so steam is reaching it.



At the same time I found a Groton Vapor Equalizing Valve #6 in the basement - I could blow air through this one but after installing it the radiator would not get warm. So I would guess that this vent's hole is too small. The radiator is small - 18" tall, 12" wide with 6 sections.



What kind of vent should I put here?





A second second floor bathroom with small radiator also does NOT get warm or hot unless the boiler runs continuously for an hour; the rest of the house is boiling by this time. The vent on it is a Dole Valve 1933 and looks real old - it has a water draining thingy coming out of it. Again - when I took the vent off the radiator got warm/hot quickly.



What kind of vent would go here?



Will the book have these kinds of answers?



Thanks,

Fred

Several good brands

I use Hoffman 1A vents on my radiators. They have 6 settings on them that you can adjust for the amount of venting you want. Smaller radiators I typically set at about 3 and larger ones at 4 or 5. I have good results with them. A lot of the guys on this Wall like the Gortons and/or Maid o mist. Those come in various vent sizes but you need to know which size you want for each radiator. I don't think they make a variable vent style (Maid o Mist might). Dan's book does discuss how to vent radiators and if you use the search box on this Wall and type in "Radiator venting" you should find an article on how to size vents based on radiator size.Again, for me, using a variable vent gives me the ability to adjust the venting based on my own comfort level.  

Make sure your main vents are working well also. They will be located near the end of the main steam lines or on the returns in the basement.

BobC

Main vents?

These are the last vents on the system? Do you have a large enough main vent on the steam main in the basement? If it's not working or too small it will take a LONG time for a radiator vent to let all the air out. The Heatimer Varivalves can cause problems i would avoid them if possible.



Maid O Mist makes a 5L that comes with an assortment of orifices so you can select the one you want.



http://www.amazon.com/Maid-O-Mist-0220-5L-Steam-Angle-Radiator/dp/B003DV3AGE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395085977&sr=8-1&keywords=maid+o+mist



Bob