Dunham trap lifespan?

guzzinerd

There was an inch of dust on top of this cap.  Radiator's cold.  How likely is it that i need to replace the innards?

Jamie Hall

Unless it has been abused, it's probably fine -- but it's easy to check. With the system running for some time -- long enough for the radiator in question to be fully hot -- three possibilities. The radiator doesn't heat. Trap failed closed. The radiator does heat, and the return pipe is also steam hot (not hot, but steam hot). Trap is failed open. Radiator does heat, return pipe not above 207 or so. Trap is fine.

guzzinerd

Jamie Hall said:

Unless it has been abused, it's probably fine -- but it's easy to check. With the system running for some time -- long enough for the radiator in question to be fully hot -- three possibilities. The radiator doesn't heat. Trap failed closed. The radiator does heat, and the return pipe is also steam hot (not hot, but steam hot). Trap is failed open. Radiator does heat, return pipe not above 207 or so. Trap is fine.

Thanks.  The radiator did heat up until a few days ago. The tenant told me "was working fine until you started messing with the boiler" 🙄

Pretty sure no one has touched the traps for decades, just gonna rebuild/replace them all.

EBEBRATT-Ed

There is no life span for traps. They can and will outlive us all,,,,,as long as you can get parts.