Reducing valve?

boobird

One of my recessed in-the-wall steam radiators is cold. I tried replacing the vent but no help.  This radiator is on the first floor - in the basement, the supply pipe that feeds this single radiator is hot.  The valve and radiator remain cold.  I assume it is a stuck valve in the closed position? I dont know what else it can be.

i am planning to replace the valve but it seems to be an irregular shape.

One side of the valve looks 1.5”
The other side seems to be a union? 2.25”

Does this type of valve still exist? 

Can it be anything else besides a bad valve?

Big Ed_4

Counter clockwise to open the valve . Remove the vent and see if you get steam . Still a problem ? Then blow into the vent hole with no steam , see if you sense water trapped ....

boobird

Big Ed_4 said:

Counter clockwise to open the valve . Remove the vent and see if you get steam . Still a problem ? Then blow into the vent hole with no steam , see if you sense water trapped ....

So I removed the vent and theres no steam.

if theres water trapped, how do you remove it?

Big Ed_4

If you find trapped water , you will need to pitch that line back to the boiler ...

EBEBRATT-Ed

I would not try and replace the valve that will be trouble. Put some vise grips on the valve stem and loosen the packing nut and see if the valve moves. Clockwise is closed counter clock is open. If you get it open see if you get any steam.

Jamie Hall

Looks to me, in addition to what @EBEBRATT-Ed said, that you might be able to disassemble that valve and thus repair it. The bonnet has flats on it, and you may have enough clearance to at least loosen it with a crescent wrench and then get it the rest of the way with a smaller wrench -- or maybe even with the handle off a crow foot on a socket wrench?

boobird

EBEBRATT-Ed said:

I would not try and replace the valve that will be trouble. Put some vise grips on the valve stem and loosen the packing nut and see if the valve moves. Clockwise is closed counter clock is open. If you get it open see if you get any steam.

This worked! Initially it seemed like it was fullly stuck but it suddenly was able to open up.  

mattmia2

I agree that replacing that valve looks like a can of worms, it would be much easier to rebuild it.