floor to ceiling steam pipe

ChicagoHeatFail

I live in a top floor apartment. My kitchen has a floor to ceiling steam pipe with what the super has called "air vent" on top. Am I right in assuming that this air vent has to be open so air can evacuate the pipe and steam flow in? Since I am on the top floor, do the apartments below mine not have an air vent? I prefer having the air vent completely closed so as to prevent the hissing noise from occurring, however it seems this causes the other apartments below mine not to get heat.
What can be done in this case? Can I demand that an air vent is installed in a lower apartment or potentially above my ceiling (the pipe goes through my ceiling)

DanHolohan

Your apartment will be the only one with a vent. That pipe is the radiator for everyone's kitchen. The vent should be open. Your super can install a vent with a larger hole. That will lessen the noise.

ChicagoHeatFail

Thank you for your response Dan. Do you know why the pipe is exiting my ceiling? I believe it is sticking out of the roof, why not just install one outside?

DanHolohan

It needs to go through the ceiling to keep it stable. It would have a cap on top of it to keep the steam from escaping. Are you getting enough heat?

ChicagoHeatFail

well, the pipe is cold which is fine with me since the heat from the other radiators is enough to heat the kitchen. In fact, when the pipe stays cold, it has the additional benefit that it does not expand and contract, thereby creating a changing and ugly transition from pipe to floor/ceiling in the paint. I think I will simply refuse to make changes since everything works for me. If below neighbors need more heat they should get their own air vent.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@ChicagoHeatFail , LOL Maybe the vent can be extended to a point where the noise is not noticed

If your not allowing the system to heat on the other floors I would think management will become very upset.

Brewbeer

ChicagoHeatFail said:

. If below neighbors need more heat they should get their own air vent.

The heating system was designed with the vent at the top of the pipe. If I lived below you and was cold because you don't want the heating system to function as designed, I'd be none too happy with you refusing to cooperate. Moving to an apartment below the top floor would solve your issue.

Fred

If the heat from the other radiators, in your apartment is enough to heat your kitchen, comfortable, the same probably holds true for those apartments below you. They may not even notice the difference. If they do, tell your landlord to take your vent off, plug the vent hole and move it down one floor and if the noise disturbs the tenant in that apartment, oh well.

ChicagoHeatFail

just got off the phone with the landlord who has threatened to legally compel me to open the vent. So I opened it, and not only did air come out, condensation sprayed all over my ceiling. I closed the valve again. So sick of this inadequate system.

DanHolohan

Is this in NYC?

Fred

It sounds like (no pun intended) the system pressure is way too high. That would explain the noise that bothers you and the spray of condensate. Tell the Landlord to get the system pressure down, make sure he has plenty of good venting on the Mains, in the basement and that the Pressuretrol is set down as low as he can get it , under 2 PSI at most, preferably 1.5 PSI. He'll save money on his fuel bill and have happier tenants.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Fred , those are great ideas that probably will never happen. From his handle I am thinking Chicago

Fred

EBEBRATT-Ed said:

@Fred , those are great ideas that probably will never happen. From his handle I am thinking Chicago

I know but it's always good to try, @Abracadabra is in Chicago if the Landlord has any interest at all.

ChicagoHeatFail

Astonishingly, the landlord has made an attempt to be helpful and lowered the pressure. Luckily this sort of worked. no more water spraying out of the air vent, the hissing sound however remains. Looks like I am going to have to put up with it if I don't want to get evicted. @Dan, I am in Chicago. Does this make a difference? Can I legally demand he bring in a professional plumber/heat-type guy to take a look at this? I have a feeling the super who is currently in charge of operating the system does not have a sufficient understanding of the subject matter.

lchmb

ask him (super) as previously mentioned if he could have a vent with a larger orifice put in to quiet things down for you... it may be the answer you seek..