Drastically uneven radiators

derekfd

I live in NYC in a 3 story + basement, 6 family building (2 apartments per floor, 1 left 1 right). Each apartment is nearly identical, running from the front of the building to the back on either the left or right side. Each apartment is a typical NYC railroad apartment, 4 rooms in a long line (kitchen, then living room, then office, then bedroom). There's a riser and radiator in each room so if I understand the system correctly there's 8 risers from the boiler (in the basement), each serving 3 radiators (1st, 2nd, 3rd floors). It should be noted that we live on the 1st floor on the side of the building that the boiler is on (it's right under our kitchen). It should also be noted that we don't have access to our neighbors apartments so I'm speaking only about the experience in our apartment, can only assume there are some similarities with the heat in the apartments above us, and don't know much at all about the 3 apartments on the other side of the building. Also we rent, so this is on our landlord, but he's pretty negligent.

The problem is that one of our radiators seems to be putting out the overwhelming majority of the heat. Whenever the heat is on, the radiator in the office is hissing like crazy, the room is super hot, and it's putting so much moisture into the air that it's condensing on the walls and ceiling. When it's really cold out and the heat is really blasting, 2 walls and our ceiling in our office are entirely covered in condensation.

The other risers and radiators get hot but never hiss and those rooms are always a fine temperature. The office is the smallest of the 4 rooms in the apartment (about 8'x10'). We feel like out apartment would be plenty warm if the office radiator were simply shut off but we've tried closing that valve and it seems to be broken (knob is turned all the way closed, doesn't shut off the heat).

We'd be happy with EITHER convincing the landlord that there's something wrong and him getting the whole system fixed OR simply getting the radiator in our office shut off.

Can we disconnect the radiator from the valve and just put a cap on it or something? Replacing the broken valve is surely an option but that would then involve landlord compliance (everything is a struggle with him and we try to pick our battles).

Generally, about the overall problem with the system, what causes the different risers/radiators to be so unbalanced? The office is not even the closest room to the boiler, in fact it's the 3rd room out of 4, with the living room and then the kitchen being the closest. I certainly assume that the same is true with the apartments above me, have no idea about the other side of the building.

Working for a construction company I've done a fair amount of domestic hot and cold water plumbing, so I'm no dummy, but really have no experience with heating (which many of you can maybe already tell .

Any advice/knowledge would be greatly appreciated. We're trying to get this taken care of before we start getting mold from all the condensation. Thanks

nicholas bonham-carter

Try turning the vent on the end of the radiator upside down, if it is a one-pipe steam system. This, if it is a Hoffman vent will prevent air from leaving the radiator, and therefore prevent steam from entering. A small 1/8 pipe plug can also be substituted for an uncooperative alternative vent.
I just do not understand the thoughts these building owners have in allowing a badly maintained steam system to use up to 30% more fuel as a result of negligence, and subject everyone to intense discomfort.—NBC

Jamie Hall

@nicholas bonham-carter 's solution should work. I suspect that the vent on that radiator is stuck open -- they do, sometimes, particularly if the pressure is too high (which it probably is). You could also try fitting a different, slower vent on it.

mikeg2015

Pressure is probably set too high on the boiler. Not enough main vents either. You can’t fix that but you need a slower vent on that radiator. A Maid o mist #4 would probably work if it’s a hofffman 40 now.