flushing hot water systems completely

James D. Arch

HI,
I'VE TRIED CLOSING ALL VALVES, RELIEF VALVE POPPED.
I LOWERED PRESSURE AND ATTEMPTED TO CIRCULATE WATER.
RAD TOOK A LONG TIME TO "WARM" ,NOT HOT, UP ON TOP INLET SIDE ONLY I FEEL THE RAD IS PLUGGED WITH SOMETHING.
THIS SYSTEM MAYBE A OLD CONVERTED STEAM SYSTEM, THE HEADER PIPING IS 2 1/2" REDUCING TO 1 1/2"RUNS WITH 3/4"FEEDING THE RADS. BOILER WAS INSTALLED 1989 WITH 1" COPPER FEEDING THE HEADER.

ANY MORE SUGGESTIONS WILL BE APPREACIATED.

JIM

James D. Arch

flushing entire hot water system

i have two radiators that are cold on the bottom and only warm on top, but only after the system runs for a peroid of time on cold days.
after viewing different web sites, i now feel it may be time to flush the entire system.
are the chemicals such as boiler lax (solder seal mfg.)or boiler cleaner (hercules chemicals)safe to use?
can you describe a complete flushing/cleaning proceedure?
also what other problems might i cause by flushing the entire system?

James D. Arch

flushing entire hot water system

i have two radiators that are cold on the bottom and only warm on top, but only after the system runs for a peroid of time on cold days.
after viewing different web sites, i now feel it may be time to flush the entire system.
are the chemicals such as boiler lax (solder seal mfg.)or boiler cleaner (hercules chemicals)safe to use?
can you describe a complete flushing/cleaning proceedure?
also what other problems might i cause by flushing the entire system?

thanks,
jim

James D. Arch

flushing entire hot water system

I have two old radiators that are cold on the bottom and only warm on top, but only after the system runs for a peroid of time on cold days.
After viewing different web sites, i now feel it may be time to flush the entire system.

Are the chemicals such as boiler lax (solder seal mfg.)or boiler cleaner (hercules chemicals)safe to use?

Can you describe a complete flushing/cleaning proceedure?

Also what other problems might i cause by flushing the entire system?

thanks,
jim

James D. Arch

should I flush entire hot water system?

I have two old radiators that are cold on the bottom and only warm on top, but only after the system runs for a peroid of time on cold days.

After viewing different web sites, i now feel it may be time to flush the entire system.

Are the chemicals such as boiler lax (solder seal mfg.)or boiler cleaner (hercules chemicals)safe to use?

Can you describe a complete flushing/cleaning proceedure?

Also what other problems might i cause by flushing the entire system?

thanks,
jim

ed wallace

no heat 2 rads

have you tried to vent the air out what floor are the rads on? what is system preesure when boiler is cold?

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James D. Arch

yes, system vented, very dirty water from cold radiators
clean water from hot one's.

both rad. return lines cold.

both rad. valves are open

both rads on second floor

psi is 12lbs.

James D. Arch

should I flush entire system?????

see above....

thanks
jim

ScottMP

James

Flushing is a good thing and won't hurt anything, But from what I read I don't think your problem is a clogged Rad.

I think you should look at your piping arrangment.

Are these rads new ? Where they in the original system ? Did some one add a zone or more rads ? Are the valves open all the way ?

There are heating slowly it sounds like poor flow.

Scott

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James D. Arch

hi,

rads are old, circa. 1935

nothing added to system in 30+ yrs.

valves open all the way

return line is cold, "2 rad only" heats up slightly only when system runs for a long time. rest of upstairs and first floor rad heat up fine

boiler is 16 yrs. old

Frank Cheng

Try two tricks here

One time, I bled a few radiators and got some thick spews out. Try to bleed out all the dirty water.

Another trick works for me once in a while: close all other radiator valves except one of those with the problem and let the increased pressure to push through that radiator. But this may not work for some plumbing structures, such as monoflow type, where the flow pressure won't build up even if all valves are closed. Check it out.


Frank

James D. Arch

I'll let you know

thanks,

jim

Scott25

possible problem

redman stratos?!?!?! sounds like a fishing buddy to me :-)

You may have experienced carryover from your boiler that is causing your problems in your radiators. Carryover happens when boiler water due to high concentrations of dissolved solids and suspended solids leaves with the steam instead of staying in the boiler where it belongs to be removed with blowdowns. This boiler water/ steam mixture is very corrosive and will cause sludging in your radiators and steam traps. The only option that may work if the other suggestions dont work is to clean your radiator with a potent cleaner to dissolve all the calcium and iron that have accumulated. Hope this helps

Scott

Unknown

Scott

> redman stratos?!?!?! sounds like a fishing buddy

> to me :-)

>

> You may have experienced carryover

> from your boiler that is causing your problems in

> your radiators. Carryover happens when boiler

> water due to high concentrations of dissolved

> solids and suspended solids leaves with the steam

> instead of staying in the boiler where it belongs

> to be removed with blowdowns. This boiler water/

> steam mixture is very corrosive and will cause

> sludging in your radiators and steam traps. The

> only option that may work if the other

> suggestions dont work is to clean your radiator

> with a potent cleaner to dissolve all the calcium

> and iron that have accumulated. Hope this

> helps

>

> Scott

Unknown

Scott

> redman stratos?!?!?! sounds like a fishing buddy

> to me :-)

>

> You may have experienced carryover

> from your boiler that is causing your problems in

> your radiators. Carryover happens when boiler

> water due to high concentrations of dissolved

> solids and suspended solids leaves with the steam

> instead of staying in the boiler where it belongs

> to be removed with blowdowns. This boiler water/

> steam mixture is very corrosive and will cause

> sludging in your radiators and steam traps. The

> only option that may work if the other

> suggestions dont work is to clean your radiator

> with a potent cleaner to dissolve all the calcium

> and iron that have accumulated. Hope this

> helps

>

> Scott

Unknown

Scott

I think this system is hot water

Noel

Scott25

woops

Yikes!!! My bad.... Open mouth insert crescent wrench! I just had steam on the brain today :-)

Boilerpro

A small addendum to above

when dealing with a converted gravity system and rad valves can be turned, I usually try to set them all half way closed. This provides at least some pressure drop at each rad so water distribution should be better, than allowing all the water flow to occur through the closest rads to the pump

Boilerpro