why would steam radiator split?

Jim Miller

job yesterday - complaint of radiators leaking - found 2 with end section having approx 4" vertical split - it is one pipe steam, 2psi......? what happended?

Robert O'Connor_7

sounds like it froze. Ask HO if they were away? one maybe, but two? sounds fishy

Jim Miller

I thought about freezing

but the heat has been on continuously, besides the fact that a steam radiator should not have water in it anyway..........also, the way the venting is (no main vents) the radiators hardly ever heat all the way across, so the end section, the ones that split, hardly ever get hot, so I don't see it being heat stress related.........the system is very dirty - could that be it?

Steamhead

\"Condensate Grooving\"

You have an acid condensate problem. Without proper main vents, CO2 in the air combines with the steam to form a mild carbonic acid. The rads didn't freeze, they were eaten away from the inside. At some point, this got to those end sections. I'm not sure why the end opposite the steam inlet failed first though- maybe it never really dried out in that area?

Dan covers this in Lost Art, in the chapter on Venting.

Measure the length and diameter of the steam mains and we'll tell you what vents they need.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Jim Miller

thanks - will be back there on Monday -
'preciate the input

Jim