Condensate pipe pitch

richarddowling

I have 2 pipe steam system. One radiator gets hot to supply valve only. I noticed condensate pipe is pitched upward due to settling(?) over time. Would this cause radiator not to heat. Have new trap and new valve.

Jamie Hall

Condensate pipe? Do you mean the dry return from the outlet of the radiator to the dry returns in the basement? If so, it handles not just condensate but also air — and it must be pitched so that the condensate can drain freely to the principal dry return.

EdTheHeaterMan

If the return pipe after the trap is pitched wrong so the condensation stays in the pipe then the air cant get out of the radiator thru the dry return pipe after that trap. a new trap may not fix your problem if you have a pipe pitched the wrong way as shown in this illustration:

See the condensation is stuck in that pipe on the radiator on the right, blocking the air from getting back the the air vent in the dry return pipe?