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No Heat From Radiator

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  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    Yes, someone over the years tied that left pipe into the Dry Return, which will carry steam, on a one pipe system. That left supply valve should be disconnected from the radiator, if at all possible and that pipe capped off and a plug put in the radiator. I should heat all the way across then. You can just leave that valve closed but as I said earlier, it probably still leaks steam into that radiator and closes the vent before all the air can be pushed out of the radiator.
  • bwoodard
    bwoodard Member Posts: 33
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    House is 100 years old and I am sure it is the original plumbing--I doubt that I can loosen the nuts and am afraid of breaking something and ending up in deeper trouble so I will try just closing the left valve. Since there is no steam coming to the left end can I just take the air valve off so the air will come out faster? Of course when I receive the new valve I will put it on and see what happens.
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    No, do not take the vent off. That will allow air to escape and steam to move through that radiator and out the vent opening in the radiator. That could scald you. Just turn that left supply valve off as tight as you can and make sure the right supply valve is fully open. You should get some steam in that radiator.
    Koan
  • bwoodard
    bwoodard Member Posts: 33
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    Thanks --will do.
  • Koan
    Koan Member Posts: 439
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    Agree with @Fred - Not only could you be burned, also steam displaces the air that you breathe. Without the vent, steam will escape (if this radiator is working) and this would definitely not be good.
  • Koan
    Koan Member Posts: 439
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    The air vent is actually a valve that is designed to let air out until it senses steam. Once it senses steam it closes shut.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,330
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    Just looking at the pictures, I'd be rather surprised if that lower pipe was not a dry return. I'd have to trace it back -- well, trace both of them back! -- to the boiler to be sure, but...

    So I guess I wind up slightly confused as to just what we are looking at here...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    @Jamie Hall if you look at his last picture, you can see it is a dry return. It drops down at the end of the main and heads back to the boiler.
  • Koan
    Koan Member Posts: 439
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    wait - is this a one or two pipe system?
  • bwoodard
    bwoodard Member Posts: 33
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    Good ? My thought is that it is a one pipe system with the exception of the radiator in? Fred, what is your conclusion? Think you answered this in a prior post.
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
    edited December 2016
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    It is a one pipe system. Parallel flow, however,on this particular radiator, someone many years ago tied one end of the radiator to the main and the other end of the radiator to the dry return, with a vent on the radiator. All other radiators have just the one supply pipe with vents on the rads.
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,330
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    Fred said:

    It is a one pipe system. Parallel flow, however,on this particular radiator, someone many years ago tied one end of the radiator to the main and the other end of the radiator to the dry return, with a vent on the radiator. All other radiators have just the one supply pipe with vents on the rads.

    And therefore... for that radiator to heat, the valves at both ends of it have to be open, and the vent has to operate. I'd be inclined to say very odd -- but in steam? Why not...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Kahooli
    Kahooli Member Posts: 112
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    Would it not make sense to pitch the rad toward the dry return, then create a water seal to stop the steam from entering it?
  • bwoodard
    bwoodard Member Posts: 33
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    Good news everyone--the radiator in ? had 10 hot panels this AM and it was in the high 20's last night--can't wait to see what a new air valve will do. Will keep you posted. As I said several times before--thank you so much for all your help. Maybe my problem and your answers will help someone else along the way. After reading the above replies I am totally confused--should the left floor valve be opened or closed???
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    @Jamie Hall my concern with the way it is is that steam will enter that dry return and up to that radiator. Being on the end of the radiator with the vent right above the valve, the vent is going to close before the air is evacuated from the radiator. No?

    @Kahooli the least work and expense would be to disconnect the supply line on the left side of the radiator and put a plug back in that radiator. It is already pitched towards the other end, to the supply that is connected to the Main, which is correct for a one pipe system.
  • bwoodard
    bwoodard Member Posts: 33
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    Right now the left floor valve is closed and I have 10 panels heating from the right end so I guess that is the best I can do. I have lived here for 29 years and to the best of my knowledge the left end of the radiator NEVER got hot or even warm and we have 20 to 30 below periodically in the winter. I don't even know for sure if the left valve was opened or not.
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    When the outside temperatures are mild, radiators will not heat all the way across. You need to see how many of those radiator sections get hot when we hit a really cold spell, maybe close to your design day temps, when the boiler runs a longer heating cycle.
  • bwoodard
    bwoodard Member Posts: 33
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    New adjustable air valves arrived yesterday. Last night was 23 degrees and I had 16 panels warm up--thank goodness. I shut the left valve off completely so I guess that helped. I like the new air valves so much I ordered three more today. I had ancient Dole valves that you had to change with a screwdriver and the new ones have a dial on the bottom that is so much easier to read and change if necessary. So much I have learned about my steam heating system from all you guys. Thanks again. Barb
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,330
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    And at this point -- if it's working, don't fix it!
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England

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