Can you vent mains too quickly?

Phillip Biston

I have a building with 240 feet of 5 inch mains, from the header it runs into a 15 foot section of 10 inch pipe, then it tee's off in each direction into the 5 inch mains and wraps back around to the boiler, 1 leg 140 feet and the other 100 feet, into 2 hartford loops then into the boiler. It had 1 Hoffman #75 on each leg, I have replaced them with 3 gorton # 2 on each leg. In reading "The Lost Art of Steam Heating" It says to get the air out fast, My question is, did I go too far, or not far enough?

Thanks,
Phillip

Steamhead

I don't think you overdid it

Those mains should vent in about a minute at a couple ounces pressure, and three Gorton #2s on each will do this for you. You probably could have gotten away with two per main, but the third one will ensure that the mains vent at a slightly lower pressure than the radiators. This will help get the steam to the furthest radiators quickly.

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Mad Dog

No!

Don't feel funny, I have a house with 50 feet of 2 1/2" main with a total of 5 Gorton #2s....the faster the air gets out..the faster the steam gets where it needs to go. Radiators, however, can be vented too quickly which can cause spitting...a good ol' Hoffman #40 will do the trick. MD

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