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What will happen if I add a Air vent on a Two-Pipe Steam System?

Dairon421
Dairon421 Member Posts: 80
So I went to a house today and found steam vents on a two steam system with steam traps. Will that effect?

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,159
    Oh dear. Well, it depends on where the vents are -- I presume you mean they are on the radiators. Won't really do that much harm, except make the system much harder to balance. It is possible that, since you no longer can ocunt on any steam pressure in the radiators, that there may be some problems with condensate return being slow.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • jumper
    jumper Member Posts: 2,226
    Somebodies installing radiator vents on trapped rads has been seen before. Does extra air go through the traps ?
  • Dairon421
    Dairon421 Member Posts: 80
    https://youtu.be/NiDZOOuc13U
    I just watched this video. It will effect the system if the radiator trap fails open
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,159
    Yep. And a failed open trap will affect the rest of the system very badly.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Bourasque
    Bourasque Member Posts: 1
    edited March 2021
    If you install an air vent on that two-pipe radiator, the air will get out, and the radiator will heat, for sure! But since there's steam in the return lines (because of the failed traps), the condensate won't get back to the boiler until the end of the cycle.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Someone obviously didn't know what they were doing. The air in this system is vented at one or more central points in the basement. Fix the bad vents or traps and remove the radiator vents.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    STEVEusaPA