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steam radiator leaking water from the vent

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tarek
tarek Member Posts: 2
in Strictly Steam

Hi all, we have a steam heater and turning it on for the first time this winter it started steadily leaking water from one of the radiators. The water is coming from the vent. Attached is a picture of it below. I replaced the vent and the valve pictured below with new ones and opened the valve all the way. When we turn on the water to increase the pressure in the system water starts leaking right away after some air/steams comes out of the vent. Not sure what to do at this point. Any ideas?

image.png image.png

Comments

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,376

    Are you sure it is a steam system ?

    If it is a steam system, why would you do this ?

    "When we turn on the water to increase the pressure in the system water starts leaking right away after some air/steams comes out of the vent."

    I almost suspect it is a hot water system with the wrong radiator vent installed.

    Pictures of the boiler would help us help you.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
    bburdWaher
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,791

    If you can turn on a valve somewhere and the pressure increases in the system — it's not a steam system, it's a hot water system.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,906

    The piping on the convector definitely looks like a hot water system, definitely a hot water valve to my eye.

    Pictures of the boiler and piping in the basement would definitely help assess what you have.

    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 8,064
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1877898#Comment_1877898

    unless it’s the makeup water valve on a steam boiler. Eventually it would certainly increase the pressure in the system! Right about the time water started shooting out the vents 😅

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

    old_diy_guy
  • tarek
    tarek Member Posts: 2

    Sorry, I think you guys might be right about it being a water heater. Clearly I'm new to this stuff 😞

    image.png image.png
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 8,064
    edited 5:04PM

    you didn’t show the controls side of the boiler so I can’t say for sure, but that is a steam header on there.

    And I see a Hartford loop trying to hide 😅

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,791

    Hmmm… certainly does look like steam boiler piping!

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 19,458

    Looks steamy to me. Lets have a picture of the sight glass.

    Although the supply way in the back feeding the header looks tiny to me.

    Don't know what they have but sure looks like a Hartford to me.

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,376

    Seems like you are way overfilling the system. The water line should be in the middle of the sight glass on the boiler, not with water spewing out of the radiator vents. You will probably have to drain the boiler / system down to the proper water level before there is any hope the system will work correctly.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,791

    Does the boiler run at all? If it does, the pressure controls are almost certainly damaged or defective if you managed to get the pressure high enough to get water out of that vent…

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England

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