questions re: heating system

John Allen

this site comes highly praised
I think I have a loop hot water heating system Birchfield Boiler of Tacoma,Wa max working pressure steam 15lbs/sg" - water 30 lbs/sg" WAYNE Blue Angel oil burner model HS many big cast iron ( or steel ) radiators. Majority of the system works fantastically - last eight yrs I've reamed the tubes of boiler with cleaning pipe & brush annually ( missed one year ). Two out of each three yrs my oil supplier has changed filters and tuned the burner. One arm ( home built in 1900/this 25% operational arm coincides with a 1912 house remodel/addition but then again maybe they didn't have this system when it was built - coal or something - anyway it appears to serve 1912 remodel addition ) serves 6 radiators only two of which I would like to continue to use which as I noted before are performing very poorly. If it is a loop system can I eliminate radiators and continue main line and return piping to the next keeper radiator. Is pipe regular galvanized (mine tightly covered w/ asbestos appearing insulation - new foam type pipe insulation better to use? ) Is there water always in pipe ( pipe hung nicely just over my head in basement feeding radiators two floors above ) First thing to do to check on a radiator? open valve with "key" when thermostat turned to 70+ ? Many questions look forward to your input and advice on reading materials. Many thanks John

Gary Fereday

Inexpensive way to start ?

Measure the un wanted radiators and create blanket form fit covers for them. It'll stop them heating, and let the rest of the system do as well as it can. It may show you things your not aware of. and it is cheap! I hate messing with a system and guesing future conditions. Best to know what will happen! Anyway bigugh

Dave_8

A system of this age is probably set up as a monoflow or restrictor tee type system (a photo of the connections would help us here) or possibly just as a supply/return gravity type system. One would have to know what type before recomending piping options. Either way, if the radiators are not working, removing them would not have too much effect on the rest of the system. It does sound to me that they just need to have the air bled out of them to make them go!