Poor heat circulation in building

initialk

Hello Everyone,

There are two parts to my question. I live on the 4th floor of a 5-story building, and the air vent in the bedroom finn radiator is shooting cold water at the start of each cycle. I can hear water trickling in right before the brand new hoffman 43 air vent shoots out cold water. When the steam is released (judging from the sound), the radiator is mostly cool to the touch on top and bottom.

The second part is the general heating of the building itself. The temperature down in the boiler room shows 55F cap off. I keep asking for it to be turned up but have received no response. I'm thinking that maybe it's because the pressure gets too high? I was down there to take pictures and noticed that the pressure gauge started from 0 and climbed to 5 before the boiler shut off at 49F.

Additional details:
It is a one-pipe steam system and the water level is 2/3.
The pressuretrol box on the right of the gauge is 2 psi under main and 0 psi under diff.
The pressuretrol box on the left of the gauge is slightly above 10 psi under main.
The cut in box shows right in the middle between 2 and 8 psi - it has no number next to it.

Is the setup correct? Any help would be great.

mattmia2

is the valve on your radiator open all the way?

initialk

There is no valve for opening or shutting off the radiator.

mattmia2

There is. It is underneath on the left side. It doesn't have a handle on it.

On a one pipe steam system it has to be open or closed all the way. If it is closed part way it will let steam in but won't let the water that condenses drain back to the boiler.

initialk

Do you mean the screw with the thing sticking out from the right? If I can get it to move - I turn it counter-clockwise to open it all the way?

initialk

Thank you mattmia2, I think you just saved my sanity. I took a pair of pliers and turned it open. I was told there was not shut-off valve when I first moved in, so I really was struggling to figure out the problem.

JUGHNE

Where are you reading the temp numbers in the boiler room at??

initialk

There's a digital monitor that I didn't take a picture of.