Help with Steam Heat NJ

DeweyD

Hello all,

Photos: https://imgur.com/gallery/lF3dvb9

I own a 1920s home in New Jersey which has a steam heat system which has given us nothing but headaches. Prior home owners removed several radiators, which in my unprofessional opinion are contributing to some of our issues. Any help would be appreciated for the following:

There are two pipes on our steam system that have several feet of piping that lead to no where. They’re currently just capped at the end. Would we gain any efficiencies by having a plumber shorten these pipes closer to the main lines?

In our recent bathroom update, we removed a large cast iron radiator which stood in the middle of the bathroom and replaced it with a slim in the wall model. Subsequently this radiator is very noisy with “cracking” and “gurgling” sounds. I’d imagine this is due to pitch either in the pipes or radiator. However, how it was installed leaves me puzzled on if it’s pitched and piped appropriately. Every other week or so water will come pouring out of the vent. I’ve temporarily closed the valve to avoid the headache of this radiator. 

Lastly, the water I remove from the boiler to flush it never seems to come out clean. There almost always is dirt and grime that come out with it. Should I look for someone to clean the boiler on the inside? If so, what’s that called so I don’t sound silly on the phone. 

If allowed any suggestions for a quality company in NJ who is an expert in steam would be appreciated. 

Jamie Hall

There are a number of good folks in New Jersey. Check "Find a Contrator". @EzzyT is one of the very best, and I think @Dave0176 may serve your area and @Danny Scully -- my memory's not what it was.

As to your questions -- there's no advantage to cutting the pipes shorter.

The new radiator in the bathroom -- if water is coming out of the vent from time to time, either the feed pipe is pitched incorrectly, is too small, or the radiator is not pitched properly. Or all three.

There is no need to remove the water from the boiler, except perhaps once a year, or to blow a float type low water cutoff down. Not surprised there's some dirt and grime, but that's not a problem. Why are you removing water to flush?

Gsmith

regarding your new bathroom radiator: it looks like when they installed it they used a concentric reducer on the right end that allows some water (condensed steam) to pool at the bottom of the radiator which maty cause some spitting problems, it should ideally be changed to an eccentric reducer, but may work as is. I'd suggest as a fairly inexpensive first step to replace the varivent radiator valve on the bathroom radiator. These valves are most always too fast a vent for room radiators. You could try putting the setting on the slowest position of the small lever on the radiator valve and if it still spits and makes a lot of noise, then buy a new radiator valve. I like Ventrite #1 or Hoffman 1A adjustable valves which you can often get at plumbing supply stores or order from www.supplyhouse.com or other online sellers. Just changing the vent may work and is inexpensive to try.

Also send a closer picture of the front of the boiler where the grey square box is (the pressuretrol as it's called). It may also be that your pressure settings are too high (often done by inexperienced steam boiler installers). A picture may help someone here to provide some guidance on a better pressure setting.

mattmia2

The combination of that horizontal reducer and what appears to be a gas valve that may not be full port and is not a valve designed for steam may be trapping condensate in the radiator.

Removing radiators would have caused the boiler to be oversized if it wasn't installed in combination with the radiator removal. Those pipes to the missing radiators should be supported to make sure they maintain pitch toward the main so any condensate that does form in them drains back to the boiler.

DeweyD

Gary Smith said:

regarding your new bathroom radiator: it looks like when they installed it they used a concentric reducer on the right end that allows some water (condensed steam) to pool at the bottom of the radiator which maty cause some spitting problems, it should ideally be changed to an eccentric reducer, but may work as is. I'd suggest as a fairly inexpensive first step to replace the varivent radiator valve on the bathroom radiator. These valves are most always too fast a vent for room radiators. You could try putting the setting on the slowest position of the small lever on the radiator valve and if it still spits and makes a lot of noise, then buy a new radiator valve. I like Ventrite #1 or Hoffman 1A adjustable valves which you can often get at plumbing supply stores or order from www.supplyhouse.com or other online sellers. Just changing the vent may work and is inexpensive to try. Also send a closer picture of the front of the boiler where the grey square box is (the pressuretrol as it's called). It may also be that your pressure settings are too high (often done by inexperienced steam boiler installers). A picture may help someone here to provide some guidance on a better pressure setting.

Gsmith

you can try lowering the pressure on the pressuretrol a bit. Using the screw on top turn it, probably counterclockwise to make the indicator on the front go down to as near to, but not below 0.5 at the bottom of the scale on the right side. Then take off the grey cover and look at the white dial in side, turn it so the "1" is facing the front.

probably the most important thing is to set the radiator vent to its lowest setting and/or replace it.

as @mattmia2 said, you may need to replace the radiator valve with a full port valve and the concentric reducer on the right side to eliminate water pooling in that area, that water pool can cause water hammer (banging) and water spitting. But, as I said, you may be able to get a workable solution by just slowing down or replacing the radiator vent with a slower vent.

DeweyD

Thank you all! @EzzyT is stopping by Saturday to give the whole system a look over. Much appreciated!

ethicalpaul

They sure liked those Uticas in NJ geez. At least it's nice and small, just like my old one. That supply piping to the in-wall radiator is too small, it should be one inch. Ezzy will get you all straightened out.

Try not to hate the steam, it's not its fault. When it's all said and done, you will have wonderfully quiet comfortable heat.

mattmia2

Looking at that connection again, that looks like the "what I had on my truck" special.

DeweyD

mattmia2 said:

Looking at that connection again, that looks like the "what I had on my truck" special.

Lovely hahaha