Steam Air Vent Sizing Help

captainpork

Looking to replace all my steam air vents with Gorton vents before the cold weather sets in. I could use some help picking the correct size air vents. Here's some info:

Building:
- Single pipe system
- Apartment building - I live on the 4th floor (top floor). I do not have control over radiators/vents elsewhere in the building, just my own apartment.

Radiators/Heat pipes (and current setup):
3 - 2.5" diameter heat pipes (hoffman 40/41)
1 - 9" x 22" x 5" radiator (SVA Watts?)
1 - 37" x 27" x 8" radiator (hoffman 40)

tkos115

I'm not an expert on this by any means but I know Gorton valves are generally a good rated valve. I also just purchased all new ones for my house not long ago. If you go on their website or do a Google search for a gorton steam valve sizing chart you should be able to figure it our from there. My guess is that you will need size C or D valves since you are farther from the boiler.

https://www.gorton-valves.com/products

That should be the link to the sizing chart.

.

luketheplumber

what is wrong with your current vents are they wiseling or some rads not heating up? or are some just plain failing

captainpork

luketheplumber said:

what is wrong with your current vents are they wiseling or some rads not heating up? or are some just plain failing

1 vent is completely broken, constantly shooting out steam, couple other ones are spitting water. Tried cleaning it with hot vinegar but no luck. Radiators heat fine, figured I just replace all of them since they're quite old.

KC_Jones

I would suggest you need to find out what pressure the system is running at before spending money on vents. If they are running the system too high (very common) then your pretty new vents won't last very long and may not perform any different.

captainpork

No one knows the PSI, they have a boiler guy come sometimes to fix things. Either way I'll need vents for the winter season. I'm not quite sure the difference between a gorton C or D for my purposes. Installing a D would make my radiator heat up more quickly?

nicholas bonham-carter

Installing a low pressure gauge (0-3 psi) would show you the exact pressure, and you will probably find out it is too high, breaking vents, and wasting fuel.—NBC

captainpork

Again, like i said, im in an apartment building, i dont really have any control over any of the system. Just want to replace my vents.

Fred

C and D vents on a radiator may vent too fast. Radiator venting is more a "Trial and error" thing. If the vent is too fast, steam will race across the top or bottom of the radiator and close the vent, leaving you cold. You may want to get an adjustable vent, like the Hoffman 1A or the Vent-Rite #1. That way you can adjust them to get the venting where you need it. Having said that, and I know you have no control over the system, but if it is running at high pressures, radiator venting isn't going to fix the problem, at least not for very long.

captainpork

My existing vents worked fine over the last 5 years. I think it's just failure to due to wear and tear. I'd like to replace them with similar valves but would like to switch to gorton. Is that doable? I dont really have any more info about my steam system and can't make any changes as I don't have control of the building.

Jamie Hall

I rather like @Fred 's recommendation of adjustable vents -- since you have no control over anything else. I wouldn't expect them to last much longer than the old one, though, since I also expect (from your description of their behavior) that you system is running at much too high a pressure -- but, as you say, not much you can do about that.

BobC

If your not sure what vent rate you need on each radiator just buy some Maid O Mist 5L's, they come with 5 different orifices.

https://www.amazon.com/OMIST-0220-5L-Angle-Steam-Valve/dp/B003DV3AGE Be careful other listings are asking $35 each for these vents.

Start with the smallest orifice on each vent and slowly increase the size of orifice an radiators that don't heat fast enough.

I've had them on my radiators for 3 tears and no problems with their reliability.

Bob

gfrbrookline

I agree with BobC balance the system with much less costly MoM. If the plastic float fails, replace it with the came size Gorton, much more reliable over the long term.

Venting can be trial and error, MoM's are a much more cost effective option to dial everything in.