Water noise in radiators

Joe Joyce

Hi,

I have a steam heating (single pipe) system in my single family home. When the system is running, the radiator in our bedroom makes loud water gurgling sounds. It happens mid to late in the heating cycle. This radiator is on the 2nd floor. When I put my hear close to the radiator, it sounds like water is either gurgling, boiling or swishing around inside the radiator. I have emptied the radiator, but the noise still persists. I also replaced the vent. Hlep! ANy thoughts or ideas? Joe Joyce

Paul_11

Is the pitch right?

You say that you emptied the water from the radiator. Any water that condenses in your radiator should flow back to the boiler on it's own. If it doesn't on it's own, you may have a backpitched radiator. On one pipe steam systems the radiator should be pitched back towards the steam supply valve or be very close to level, but it shouldl not be pitched away from the valve.

How big is the radiator?
How big is the steam valve?
How big is the steam piping that supplies the radiator valve?

Paul

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Travis G.

check for sags

Hello Joe,
Pual is somewhat right. If it is a small radiator you may have the radiator pitched the wrong way. If it is a large radiator you need to check the sections for sag points, usually in the middle. Is the valve open all the way? If it is making a gurgleing noise it could be sagging. To check each section you need to use a 6 inch level and do 3 sections at a time. You will need to get down and look to see if the sections are touching the bottom of the level. If not you have a sag. I hoipe this helps.

Joe Joyce

The radiator measures 36" high, 14" high, so it is not very big. The vent is 3" tall. It is pitched correctly and doesn't sag. The pipe coming into the radiator is 1.5" in diameter. The system works pretty well except for this one noisey radiator. I had this problem in another house I had and I was never able to resolve it. Someone told me I should replace the part that connects the pipe to the radiator, saying that it may not be letting water return. It is a single pipe system.

I appreciate any and all thoughts (except of course, "move to a different house!") Joe Joyce