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Cleaning out clogged returns?
Thad English
Member Posts: 152
I have a 2 pipe air vent steam system and there is a radiator that is mounted under the living room floor (actually I access it through the basement) that sends heat into the living room through shaft connected to a grate in the living room wall. This radiator was not heating at all because someone installed a hot water radiator purge valve where a steam vent should be and closed it. I loosened the purge valve while my steam system was on and after the air came out so did at least 2 gallons of murky condensate. (It took about 20 minutes but most of it came out.) It occured to me while I was doing this that the return must be clogged for so much condensate to be in the radiator. After draining, the radiator heated right up and I felt the return. It was hot almost to the point where it connected with the return that runs around the perimeter of my basement floor. If my supposition is correct and the return is clogged, would it be a good idea to try to remove the return and clean it out myself?
I am also trying to get Gorton steam vents for the radiators (as well as a Gorton #2 for the main) but cannot find them so far in the Philadelphia area. Can anyone tell me where to buy them around here or should I call Gorton and get them directly from the source?
Thanks again to Noel and SteamHead for their help in educating me on the beauty of steam heat.
-Thad
I am also trying to get Gorton steam vents for the radiators (as well as a Gorton #2 for the main) but cannot find them so far in the Philadelphia area. Can anyone tell me where to buy them around here or should I call Gorton and get them directly from the source?
Thanks again to Noel and SteamHead for their help in educating me on the beauty of steam heat.
-Thad
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