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Vent rite air valve

Dave_61
Dave_61 Member Posts: 309
in Strictly Steam
The cast ray radiator in our bedroom has a brand new adjustable vent rite air valve on it. When the heat comes on around 6 AM, (we have a 2 degree setback at night), the valve makes quite a racket. Not so much a whistle, but an almost musical moaning sound like an oboe! I’ve tried adjusting it, but it still makes this sound ,which can be rather loud. It only lasts about a minute or so but wakes us up. No other radiator in the house does this. This morning I put my finger over the air hole, and could feel no air escaping, and the sound continued even when I pressed down on it. Could it be leaking air from around the threads?

Comments

  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,320
    Check the pitch on the radiator. It should be dead level or tilted up toward the vent. Try resetting the vent with pipe dope or Teflon tape. If it still makes noise replace it with a new Hoffman or Gorton vent.
  • Dave_61
    Dave_61 Member Posts: 309
    Radiator is pitched toward supply. This is the only rad out of 13 that makes noise. All are vent rite valves. I put Teflon tape on the threads. Will see in am when heat runs again.
  • AMservices
    AMservices Member Posts: 610
    Try exchanging it with a vent from another radiator. That will at least tell you if it's a defective vent or something else. 
    Long Beach EdBobC
  • Dave_61
    Dave_61 Member Posts: 309
    I put Teflon tape on new air valve. What I’ve noticed is if the adjustment on the air valve is less than 4, we get a high pitched whining sound from the opposite end of the Castray radiator. If I open the valve to 4 or more, the whining stops and air is audibly released from the vent. 
  • gfrbrookline
    gfrbrookline Member Posts: 753
    Sounds like you have a steam leak at the opposite side of the castray as the only venting should be from the vent.
  • Dave_61
    Dave_61 Member Posts: 309
    edited December 2022
    I did have a water/condensate leak at the union. I cleaned and tightened it as much as I possibly could. I was afraid I would damage or deform it if I tightened it anymore. I have no more water dripping from the union. Could I really have a steam leak there that would be large enough to be audible but with no water dripping? Also, it only makes that sound for a minute or two when steam is not in radiator yet but air would be escaping the vent.
  • gfrbrookline
    gfrbrookline Member Posts: 753
    Absolutely, I wrap my unions and valves with a paper towels every year to check for leaks, you would be surprised how damp they can become from a leak and no other signs. Steam is a gas so it can just add humidity to the room. Sometimes a leaking stem can make the same sound as a the air vent and seal itself when hot steam hits it and everything swells up.
    Dave_61
  • Big Ed_4
    Big Ed_4 Member Posts: 3,019
    Some vents could sound like a steam whistle in the right condition or flaw . As mentioned by the other Ed , the plumber in the city of Long Beach , try a Hoffman .....

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

    Long Beach Ed
  • Dave_61
    Dave_61 Member Posts: 309
    Big Ed_4 said:

    Some vents could sound like a steam whistle in the right condition or flaw . As mentioned by the other Ed , the plumber in the city of Long Beach , try a Hoffman .....

    The sound is not coming from the vent. I put my finger over the hole on the vent. It is coming from the supply side of the radiator, probably the union

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