Angled vs Straight Radiator Air Valves Reccomended if Space for Either Style?

cubicacres

After thinking about radiator vents recently, I noticed the straight style that has the 1/8" pipe running into the bottom compared to the angled style ones that have the pipe running from the side of the bottom. Since all our radiators were angled vents when we bought the building, we stayed with angled radiator air vents the past 6 years & didn't consider straight ones.

Is there a reason to favor angled vs straight air vents? The Gorton main vents we use seem to be angled ones coming right off the main lines, but is it just a tight-space issue for people to go with straight vs angled on their radiators? I thought water might get into the top of the vent if I used a straight one, but supplyhouse.com thought that wouldn't be likely & suggested either style are comparable to use.

Any thoughts on which is better or when we'd want to use one style over the other?

ethicalpaul

Main vents are almost always straight and radiator vents are almost always angled.

This is just because the port on radiators is horizontally oriented and the port on mains is vertically oriented.

Sometimes due to various piping details you might use a different orientation so you either get a "straight piped radiator vent" or you add fittings to get the correct orientation

Jamie Hall

So long as the vent itself is oriented correctly -- vertical with the vent opening on the top -- you can use either style.

mattmia2

Straight radiator vents are common with convectors because the tapping for the vent is usually in the top of the casting rather than on the side like in a radiator. Angle vents just save a fitting and usually have a tongue that helps the condensate drain out.

cubicacres

Thanks-we'll stick with the angled ones for our side-tapped radiators. I'm suspicious steam/water could clog the top of the air vents if I used straight & the top of them was at the 3 o clock position instead of 12 o clock (straight up).