moving radiator vents

JOE_24

I have a 70 year old house with one pipe steam heat,all the vents in the rads are in the top hole,I want to move them down to the mid-radiator position.There are pipe plugs in these holes with only a screwdriver slot and well rusted in place.Is it ok to heat the rads with a torch
to try and loosen these plugs or do they all have to be
drilled out and retapped or are there any other options.
Any help is appreciated,Thanks for all advice.

Thad English

From one homeowner to another: if it ain't broke don't fix it. But that's just my opinion I could be wrong.....

Steamhead

That's usually a good rule, Thad

but in this case, they are "broke".

Since steam is lighter than air, it moves to the top of the radiators. If the vents are on the top, they will close before steam can fill the rest of the radiator.

Joe, you need a 1/8" pipe thread tap and suitable drill bits. Also some thread-cutting oil to lubricate the bits as you drill, plus a 1/8" plug for the top of each radiator. This will take some time and effort- if you're not comfortable with it, go to the Find a Professional page of this site to locate someone near you who can handle the job.

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

Thad English

This is why I read this webpage: so I can learn.