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Steam vent life

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Champ6
Champ6 Member Posts: 20
in Strictly Steam
I've seen several posts suggesting that vents last only 3-4 years. Our one-pipe steam system, in the 33 years we have been here, has had only one vent replacement. The system heats fairly evenly, and the only vent that is not 100% hisses a bit before a not-too-loud click. The only reason I don't replace it is that the sound is comforting in the middle of the night when it is cold outside. Kind of like when the old oil burner boiler (RIP) was kicking on.
Granted, we have soft, mountain water here which would reduce calcium build-up, but what is the story on vent life?

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,330
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    If you don't abuse them -- keep the pressure down -- there's no good reason they shouldn't last a long long time. Same thing applies to traps. And no, I don't know how long is a long long time...
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    ethicalpaul
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 15,711
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    Jamie Hall said:
    If you don't abuse them -- keep the pressure down -- there's no good reason they shouldn't last a long long time. Same thing applies to traps. And no, I don't know how long is a long long time...
    The Ford meter box company uses the phrase "years and years" on parts buried under ground that I'd expect to last 50-100 years.

    So I guess vents should last years and years.
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,546
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    as long as they are not overpressured and/or water hammered they will last
    ethicalpaul
  • motoguy128
    motoguy128 Member Posts: 393
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    I have an original Hoffman #2 vacuum vent on one of my radiators. Still works fine. Original from around 1907. Not sure if it holds vacuum anymore. But its a nice slow vent for a little radiator it on in my laundry room. Had a from others from probably the 60’s that were fine too.

    The newer Ventrites I’m using now have some plastic parts that will likely deteriorate in 20-25 years.

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