one pipe steam(?) radiators

Bill_20

system is in a 150 yr old church, two floors plus basement. rooms have one pipe radiators. this am a vent valve was leaking water onto the floor then to the room below. we turned off the main valve at the radiator and the turned the vent 270 degrees and let water drain out. is this a proper fix and should i drain all the radiators in this way. i do not know anything about this type of system so any/all help will be appreciated. i have looked for a website for a diagram of this system but haven't found it yet. thanks for the help

Steamhead

That's \"One-pipe\" Steam

Sounds like that radiator needs a new vent.

Check out Dan's book "The Lost Art of Steam Heating", available on the Books and More page of this site. It has the answers to all your questions and a whole lot more.

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David Efflandt

something fishy

When you say you had to turn the vent 270 degrees to drain water out of it, it sounds like it may not have been in the proper position. It should normally be upright and not angled towards or away from the wall.

And if everything is working properly, there should never be any water at it. It should vent air, or close when steam hits it. If condensate gets that high, there is something wrong with the slope of the radiator or something not right with supply piping or shutoff valve.

Becky Hebert

hissing from steam

How much hissing is normal? It seems like I have a lot of hissing when steam is being released. Also, where is the best place to get a new cast iron radiator in MA.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Becky

It's not steam that you hear hissing out--it is air. As steam enters the radiator the air inside is forced out the vent. As soon as it is full of steam (air removed) the vent shuts. That's why you shouldn't see water dripping from the vents--if you do, something is wrong.

Becky Hebert

Thanks for your input about the hissing being air. The noise just drives me nuts. It sounds awful and I always check them to make sure there is no leakage. One of my release valves on my downstairs radiator seems to leak a little where it is connected so I don't think it is on right. I never grew up with steam heat, so this is all new to me. I am not used to the noise.

Steamhead

They shouldn't hiss like that

I'll bet there's another problem, like bad or missing vents on the steam mains in the basement. There are plenty of steam guys in Massachusetts- try the Find a Professional page of this site to locate someone who can quiet your system down.

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