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Air Vent Stuck

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Giants9890
Giants9890 Member Posts: 12
in Strictly Steam
Hi Everyone, amateur homeowner here with an old home using steam heat. 

An air vent on my return line is not letting air so it needs to be replaced. I cannot get this piece to budge so I can replace it. I have a pipe wrench, extender, and just tried to heat it up with a torch. I’m afraid to pull too hard and break a pipe or cause damage. 

Photos of the area and the new piece I am trying to replace it with. 

Any suggestions, please?

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,387
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    The coupling may come undone from the pipe more easily than the vent from the coupling. Try heating the coupling (but be darn careful -- you're very close to that foam insulation, which is flammable!) and then using two pipe wrenches -- one on the pipe and one on the coupling -- to free it.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Giants9890Ironman
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,708
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    Along this same line, the pipe may also come free from the elbow easier.

    You don't need that long pipe anyway, water isn't going to go up there.
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
  • Giants9890
    Giants9890 Member Posts: 12
    edited December 2023
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    Thank you for your help. 

    I still can’t get the coupling or the pipe on the elbow to budge. It looks like someone used paint on these one or more times. I think I have some rust too.  
  • Ironman
    Ironman Member Posts: 7,377
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    Bigger wrenches, two men, cheater bar. It will come loose.
    Bob Boan
    You can choose to do what you want, but you cannot choose the consequences.
    ethicalpaulGiants9890
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,708
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    I was just going to say, the solution to every problem is a bigger wrench!
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
    Giants9890
  • Giants9890
    Giants9890 Member Posts: 12
    edited January 9
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    I am going to buy a bigger pipe wrench. There’s a 24 inch, 36, and 48. Do I need to get one as big as 48 inches? Cost is significantly more for the larger wrench and wondering if I can pull it off the with the 24 inch. Thanks again.  

    Current is only 12 inches 
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 5,708
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    For those fittings I'd say 18 inch would be plenty
    NJ Steam Homeowner. See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el
    Giants9890
  • bburd
    bburd Member Posts: 920
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    You can rent a larger wrench.
    —
    Bburd
    Giants9890
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,387
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    Don't forget you need two -- one on what you want to unscrew, and one on what you DON'T want to unscrew.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Giants9890
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 15,574
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    Harbor freight has cheap wrenches that are ok for occasional use. Or a tag sale

    I would buy 1 14" & 1 18" you will use those sizes more often and you can put cheater pipes on them if need be
    ethicalpaulLarry WeingartenGiants9890

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