can anyone help do you know what this sound is what is the problem?

mine987

Hi i was wondering if anyone can help, i live in an older apartment building - it is a one pipe steam radiator that is inside the wall screwed on.. when the super changed the air vent valve for me (since the heat did not come up this year) i have been having issues we tried changing to multiple air vents the latest one we did is a Hoffman 43 - and it was changed about a month ago since 2 days ago when the heat cycle comes up and before the air vent closes shut - there seems to be a boiling water noise , we tried switching to to a new one a varivalve however that makes the noise much much worse ...can anyone tell me what can be causing this issue i will attach a copy of the radiator and audio clips...the super only switches the air vents and has no clue what it can be and i don't know radiators at all (fyi this is the first time i am hearing this noise over the past decade or so...)

KC_Jones

The audio file isn't there, just shorcuts to what I'm guessing are locations on your computer. Try uploading a video with sound to youtube, or some other site that allows video and we can hear what you are hearing.

That said, if it sounds like a boiling sound, first thing I would double check is that the feed valve is 100% open.

Has there been any piping changes or repairs in the building? Not just your unit, but anywhere prior to your unit?

mine987

audio files hopefully this will work:

https://jmp.sh/s/GfAz1NoTGsG2gqJ6f4RW - this is one of the Hoffman 43 air vent valve - original vent that i started to hear the noise from sunday

https://jmp.sh/s/XyQw2BR1Tf59gTHloCtg - this is the vari valve air vent which was the replacement we tried and then i removed from the radiator since it was much louder

https://jumpshare.com/s/nomH0dfBZWD7SQUR5v1w - we tried a new Hoffman 43 air vent valve just today and it seems to be the same as the one above -still making that noise no change

the feed valve is and was 100% open so its not from that.

i would not know about any piping repairs in the building i do know that the tenant above me changed his air vent valves about a day before i started hearing the noise in my apartment radiator but i am not sure if this is applicable or not or if they hear anything at all on their end when the heat comes on..

the super says its not the air vent valve since we tried now 3 (2 new ones and the one previous one) and all are the same noise.. any ideas where or what noise is from and how to fix it?

mattmia2

What was the old vent? If you put a faster vent on it than was there before then it may have enough velocity to bring water with it when the slower vent worked ok(though there are likely other issues with the system if it is able to pick up water).

mine987

the old vent was the Hoffman 43 air vent valve,
this is a steam radiator and honestly i am don't know anything about radiators i am just a tenant
my super in the building is not helpful he tried changing air vents and said since it is the same noise with all the vents it should not be the vent so he gave up he wont try to get to the bottom of this so i wa hoping someone else had an idea ...

KC_Jones

100% there is water laying somewhere in the piping. The percolating you hear is a dead giveaway, but also the banging is a sign of water laying and being picked up by steam. Water laying is either bad slope, a sag, or both. Is that convector sloped back towards the inlet pipe? That's one thing that can be checked in your apartment.

If the landlord gave up, I wouldn't expect much help unless they are ready to call in a good steam contractor to investigate, and pay them to do that investigating.

mine987

so basically there is nothing i can do on my end if the building wont call in a specialist?

is this an issue that can cause water leakage or other problems in my apartment other than the annoying sound that you hear on each cycle as the heat comes up?

i am not sure on the slope its been the way it has been since i moved in over a decade ago and nothing has changed and you cant actually move the radiator or slope it since it is screwed into the wall...however before this year i never heard any banging, pinging, clanking or water boiling noises this just all started these past few months with the water boiling noise since sunday - so for 3 days so far....

KC_Jones

Something in the building has changed. I would also suggest the problem was there before the vent change. "since the heat did not come up this year" That could have already been the water pooling up and slowing the steam down to the extent you didn't heat.

Piping was changed or "fixed" causing the water to pool.
Some new settling occurred in the building causing water to pool.
Tenant changed and they are closing valves on their emitter causing water to accumulate and make this noise.

There may be other possibilities, but that's what comes to mind.

Hopefully others will be along to add their thoughts.