Leaking gorton vent

sobriquet

Hey guys, I recently installed a Gorton C vent on an upstairs radiator. The radiator is getting nice and warm, but the past few days the vent has been leaking. If the boiler is cycling just to maintain temperature, everything's fine. However, if I demand a temp change, like first thing in the morning, That vent will leak steam the whole time. I've removed the vent, shaken it around, blown through it, turned it upside down and blown through it to make sure the valve is seating. Everything seems fine. Don't really want to use a vinegar bath on a brand new vent. Does it have something to do with operating pressure? I have my pressuretrol low, .5 - 1.5, though I don't have a low pressure gauge to confirm that. Or should I just try to return that one for a new one?

BobC

Your pressure range is fine, has the pigtail been cleaned recently? They do sometimes get plugged and that can lead to the boiler running at higher pressure than normal.

Bob

sobriquet

No I haven't ever cleaned it, never thought of that. I'll check it out when I'm home and see if I can do that. Is higher pressure a cause of vents leaking?

BobC

If the pressure gets to high it can blow by the vent, also your pressure gauge may not be working very well at the low end of it's range.

Bob

Dave0176

Lately I've been encountering this same issue with Gorton vents a lot.

RomanGK_26986764589

My gortons do the same thing. I can hear them slightly hissing when coming back from a setback in the morning.

jbmoff

Mine, too. Particularly in the colder weather we are having in NJ. IRONICALLY, they have been making a lot more noise than my other three Hoffmans I have installed. The"hissing" from the Gortons could almost wake the dead. My pressures are fine and no hammer or cycling. Just seems odd they're doing this seeing they are all brand new vents this season. Beginning to wonder about the quality control at Gorton.

Fred

With all the comments on the Gortons here lately, I'm wondering if they have changed some of the bi-metals they were using (to reduce costs) or if they have shipped manufacturing off shore? Something has definitely changed. May be time for someone to have a candid talk with them?

nicholas bonham-carter

The hissing could only come from a misfit of the plunger at the top of the bimetallic spring, and the orifice. Sometimes bits of grit from the returns can get blown up through the vent, and lodge on the plunger, causing an imperfect seal, most likely if the venting capacity is too small, and the air velocity too high as a result. High pressure above 2 psi probably does a number on them as well.--NBC

jbmoff

Well, my pressure never gets above .5, so it isn't from high pressure. The couple troublemakers I have seem to not close when steam reaches them. They spit a drop of water or so and get SUPER hot.
Can someone suggest another GOOD vent....other than Hoffman....?

RomanGK_26986764589

Maid O Mist seems to be ok. I have a few of them and they seem to behave better and they're quitter too.

nicholas bonham-carter

Have you tried the upside down blow through test?
If the bimetallic spring in the Gorton vents would twist as it unfurled with heat, then the stopper might be off center in the port.--NBC

jbmoff

Seems to me that once it is installed, it shouldn't need be an " every time the steam comes up, I have to check the vents" thing. I have used Maid O Mist from Home Depot, etc. when I needed one quickly, and they do seem to work differently despite many people liking Gorton better.

Fred

@jbmoff , if you are looking for a good vent alternative to Gorton, why would you take Hoffman off the table? I use them exclusively and have had really good luck with them.

sobriquet

I like the Hoffman 1a and have 7 or 8 of them in use, but when sizing vents using a vent capacity chart, I found that the 1a at it's largest setting is still too small for some of my upstairs radiators

Steamhead

I don't think Gorton has moved their manufacturing out of New Jersey. Call them and tell them what's going on- they'll make it right. We use a LOT of Gortons- once in a while a bad one gets through, but we just send them back and they replace them.

sobriquet

Steamhead, do you buy your Gorton vents from Gorton or a supply store? I think I probably got mine at supplyhouse.com

Fred

sobriquet said:

I like the Hoffman 1a and have 7 or 8 of them in use, but when sizing vents using a vent capacity chart, I found that the 1a at it's largest setting is still too small for some of my upstairs radiators

It may be that you are trying to ventthose radiators too fast. I don't much care what the venting charts say, they are not designed to tell you what your specific balancing needs are, under your specific circumstances. If you have your mains vented to expel the air in them as quickly as possible, the radiators should be vented relatively slowly. I live in a 5000 sq. ft. house (three floors), with some fairly long run-outs and risers and I don't have a single Hoffman 1A fully open.

sobriquet

I've read that venting too fast can cause issues with steam velocity and such. The room had a 1a but I replaced it with the gorton C, which made a world of difference, the room stays very warm, I'd hate to have to remove it. Tomorrow I'm going to check that pigtail

sobriquet

Also, can venting too quickly cause water build up in a vent? Or condensate not to drain? I recently installed a maid o mist 6 which heats the room nicely but makes a bubbling gurgling type of noise and has water in it when I remove it.

Fred

Typically venting a radiator too fast will cause the radiator to heat unevenly. It may even cause the steam to race across the top or bottom of the radiator and not heat the rest of the radiator. gurgling and water are more indicative of a radiator that may not be pitched the right direction or the steam pressure being too high, not allowing the condensate to drain out of the radiator.
You really can't put a vent on a radiator to get a single room the way you want it without determining how that affects the rest of the system/radiators throughout the house. All radiators need to be balanced so that every room heats properly and at about the same time.

sobriquet

Thanks, I'm on my way to a balanced system...hopefully. Note a few of my radiators (including the ones in the bedrooms I'm having some issues with) are of the "fin tube" baseboard style. There are all pitched correctly, probably more than they need to be.

Mark N

I've used Gorton vents for over 6 years now and have never had one leak or hiss or malfunction in any way. I don't hear them vent air or suck in air after the boiler turns off, they are dead silent. According the the Gorton web site they test all vents with live steam. So one would think that duds don't get out the door.

Steamhead

sobriquet said:

Steamhead, do you buy your Gorton vents from Gorton or a supply store? I think I probably got mine at supplyhouse.com

We get ours direct from Gorton. Where did you all get yours?

jbmoff

I prefer Hoffman over maid o mist. The MoM's are in my cellar now just in case...!As for Gorton: Mine came from supplyhouse.com

RomanGK_26986764589

My gortons leaking are only noticeable if I hold a mirror close to it. Maybe it's water that got to it evaporating?

jbmoff

@RomanGK_26986764589 : mine as well BUT you can also HEAR them like the sound of air rushing out of a balloon. After a few cycles this way, boiler waterline starts to show a noticeable drop as 3 of mine out of 5 are acting this way.

sobriquet

So they're leaking so much that your waterline is decreasing? That sounds like an awful lot. Although since I put this gorton in, I did have to top my boiler off the other day. It's probably been a month since I did that last so I'm sure it's just coincidence.

jbmoff

After a two or three cold nights/day (10 degrees), yes as the system runs longer to maintain temp and the rads heat further/more, the vents leak causing a noticeable difference in the sight glass after 48-72 hours. When the system runs on a typical day/week/temps, and boiler does not run as long, then the water line is stable and perfect. Sitting next to one of the vents on those long runs, once could clearly hear and know it is not closing as the steam hits it. (Meanwhile, it was just bought 4 weeks ago!)

RomanGK_26986764589

jbmoff, yep I can also hear them slightly hissing when the rad is hot all the way across.

Fred

It almost sounds like Gorton may have had a bad run on machining the seat or stopper on some of their Gorton #1's??

jbmoff

So the $64,000 question is...and I already think I know the answer....are mine defective? I believe they should be dead quiet, right?

Fred

If your pressure is low, your radiators tilted properly (for radiator vents) and you are not just hearing the system sucking a little air, at the end of a cycle, yes, they should be quiet.

Mark N

Jbmoff, have you tried taking the off and running some water through them to rinse them out? There just might be some crud thats in the valve seat and they're unable to close.

jbmoff

@Mark N One of mine is leaking steam pretty bad. I did the mirror test tonight while boiler was running and VIOLA! Totally wet.
I have not tried running water through them to clear out any debris. That should have crossed my mind to see if it rectified them not closing.
@Fred. The working ones only hiss a bit with vacuum at the end of the cycle. Pretty discreet. The others (bad ones) are FAR from discreet as that steam is escaping

Dave in QCA

Nothing worse than an indiscrete steam vent!

jbmoff

Haha! How true. Tried cleaning them out last night - still same result. Going to call Gorton today to inquire....

BrianT1077

@jbmoff, I have been having the same issue with my Gorton # 1 main vents, I contacted Gorton the other day and this was there response to my questions.

Brian: They have a warranty up to 2 years. On the back of the current production is an arrow pointing upwards ^. Main vents tend to fail more often than others. Either dirt gets on the seat and they stop closing or they sometimes are not placed high enough from the combustion that takes place on the mains and fail. I just e-mailed Wallington Plbg. the same information. Thanks Ken

BobC

That explanation sounds like they are either trying to put the best face on a bad situation or they really do have their head in the sand.

It's best to own up to this problem and then do everything to fix it. People are willing to forgive a mistake, they are not likely to take being lied to with the same equanimity.

Bob

jbmoff

@BrianT1077 Interesting. I am so disappointed lately in their operating. Worst is - now I have to see if they will replace mine and in the interim, I have to put on some other vents I have in my basement someplace as back up as I don't want that much steam escaping causing me to add that much water to the boiler weekly (or daily if need be).
Are you in Jersey? I'm in Bergen County (WAY UP) and not many plumbing supplies here except Ferguson who does not carry Gorton (I know... the nerve) and Blackman in Mahwah who may not carry them as well. I do believe they have Hoffman's though.

Dave in QCA

BrianT1077 said:

@jbmoff, I have been having the same issue with my Gorton # 1 main vents, I contacted Gorton the other day and this was there response to my questions.

Brian: They have a warranty up to 2 years. On the back of the current production is an arrow pointing upwards ^. Main vents tend to fail more often than others. Either dirt gets on the seat and they stop closing or they sometimes are not placed high enough from the combustion that takes place on the mains and fail. I just e-mailed Wallington Plbg. the same information. Thanks Ken

It sounds like they're doing their best to give good customer service and "make it right". But... when I read the reply, specifically the phrase, "they sometimes are not placed high enough from the combustion that takes place on the mains and fail."
I am really curious as to what type of system has combustion on the mains. WOW.