kick heaters

Steve-O

Was on a job recently where the owner had no heat coming out of there kick heater in the kitchen. I figured it was a no brainer bled the air and I would be out of there. Not so.When I couldnt get the unit to heat by bledding it proceeded to the basement to find an old clunker of a boiler.The boiler is a steam boiler used to heat the original part of the house.The space where the kick heater is was an addition.They installed aloop system with base board heat.It appeared that the baseboard was working fine but not the kick heater . At the boiler the supply and return lines were both below the water level of the steam system. One had a taco flow valve onit the other bronze swing check valve.I tryed bledding with the pump on and off.When it was off it sucked in air when it was on was able to get unit bled but not enough to circulate on its own.The owner said worked fine for years with no trouble....why not now?My thought is that the check valves do not hold so when pump off kick heater at high spotdrains to boiler creating an air space stopping the heat.But dont loop systems have to be pressurized to work?Sorry to be so long winded need some help thanks...

John@Reliable

Lack of heat

Did you check temp. switch on heater? Most times you will find it on the unit piping,also you can jump it out and check blower motor. Might also check for power to unit first. Hope this helps. John@Reliable

ScottMP

Check wiring

Do what John said. Thats the first thing I would check.

But you may be on the right track. I would find how the air is getting in. Are there any auto vents thast would allow the air to sneak back in. You should be able to fill that loop and leave it.

My old boss had a great line when customers tell you it allway used to work ( as if its your fault ). He would say " Well the horse never died before , did he ? "

Things change, find out why and you'll be a hero.

Scott

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Liquid Plumber

toe kick

Hot water loops off a steamer pick up alot of muck.
I'll bet you a dollar the coil is plugged.

Gordo

kickspace heaters

can provide endless hours of fun. When you bled the kickspace, did it suck air? If it did, you may need to "power purge" the whole loop to remove all the air (after you remove and cap off the bleeder for the kicker). See Dan's book "How Come?" the section on heating with condensate. Isolate the loop from the boiler with valves and purge with domestic water pressure thru the loop. I do hope this helps.