Jacovitz Air Eliminator

Marguerite ~ From Brooklyn ~

Dear Steam Buddies,

Has anyone heard of a Jacovitz Air Eliminator? If so, I am interested in anything you can tell me about it, i.e. quality and air venting capabilities.

I want to install a Gorton No. 2 on my main steam line, but unfortunately do not have the room in the cramped environment where the air eliminator is located. I currently have a Hoffman 45, which is not adequate for my venting needs.

My plumber stopped by and recommended the Jacovitz No. 1 because it will fit. He said that it will vent four times as fast as what is currently there now. I want to confirm this and also want to know how it will compare to the Gorton No. 2., in terms of air venting capabilities. Additionally, I would like to know how the Jacovitz No. 1 compares to a Hoffman 75, in terms of venting.

I realize that the Gorton No. 2 is the best, but it cannot be installed without a lot of breaking and re-piping. So if the Jacovitz No. 1 is close enough, looks like I will have to go with it.

Please let me know. Many thanks. Best regards.

Your Steam Buddy from Brooklyn,

Marguerite

Marguerite ~ From Brooklyn ~

Jacobus Not Jacovitz

Hey Gang,

Here is an addendum to my posting.

I was looking over literature that I have, as well as doing a search on the internet for Jacovitz brand. Now I think my plumber had the name wrong and meant Jacobus not Jacovitz.

This, unfortunately, means that he was recommending Maid O'Mist brand, which I dislike strongly. I don't care for the quality at all.

Do you think this is my only choice? Does the Hoffman 75 vent more than the Jacobus No.1?

Maybe I should bring another plumber in to get a second opinion on installing the Gorton No. 2.

Thanks everyone.

Take care,

Marguerite
From Brooklyn - Your Steam Buddy!

[Deleted User]

never heard of it.

but if its hot in the location of the vent, you had best go with the hoffman..it closes at a much higher temperature than gorton does..weve had some problems with gorton #2's closing due to ambiant temperatures around 100 degrees or a bit hotter..which isn't hard to achieve at the boiler room ceiling..we just finished our latest install and have one gorton #2 at the end of each steam main, and two hoffman 75's at the boiler room end of each return pipe..we tried gortons in the boiler room first but they closed due to the pipes radiant temperature and ambiant temperature.

Marguerite ~ From Brooklyn ~

Reply To Never Heard Of It

Dear Gerry,

Thanks for your prompt reply. I really appreciate it.

I think my plumber may have meant Jacobus and called it a Jacovitz, which means it is a Maid O’ Mist brand. I had one there once and it only lasted 1 year before it was dripping water. This air eliminator did not solve my heating problems on the 2nd floor of my building. The radiator on the 2nd floor that is the farthest from the boiler is slow to heat.

You’ve made some comments that I haven’t heard before regarding the air eliminators. Now, I’m not sure what I should be doing. My boiler is located in the back of the basement. The long main runs from the boiler to the front of the building along the ceiling of the Basement. This a 2 ½ inch pipe which is approximately 45 feet in length, when measuring the actual pipe exiting from the boiler itself to the front of the building. There is a Quick Vent located on the elbow at the front wall of the building. There is a Hoffman 45 vent installed.

I have a 1-¼ (maybe 1-½ inch) pipe that branches off the long main near the boiler, towards the back of the building going to the riser pipe radiator located in the ½ Bathroom on the first floor. There is approximately 23 feet of pipe from the boiler itself to the ceiling of the basement, which leads to the ½ Bath riser. I have a Gorton No. D installed on the riser. Is this pipe considered a short main or a branch?

May I ask what you would recommend? Do you think it may be too hot at the end of my long main for a Gorton No. 2? I was going to try and get a Gorton No. 2 installed before the elbow and leave the Hoffman 45 in place. That is if there is enough room to work in to do it.

I can upgrade to a Hoffman 75, but Hoffman told me that vents 1-½ times more than the Hoffman 45, which is not as much as the Gorton No. 2. Do you think upgrading to a Hoffman 75 would do it, or do you think I need the venting power of the Gorton No. 2 (that is if it isn’t too hot), or do you think I need two or three Hoffman 75’s?

If there is room to drill into the top of the main and thread it, is it advisable to place air eliminators right before the elbow, if I leave the Hoffman 45 in place?

Please let me know. Many thanks.

Best regards,

Marguerite

ed_17

jacobus

My folks have some Jacobus valves on thier radiators. They look just like Gortons, same shape, although, I think there is an adjustable screw on top of the vent with different diameter/vented holes. My Dad got a box of these probably forty years ago from a guy by the name of Ernie Holsberg (sp) from Woburn, Mass. Ernie and my Dad are gone but the vents are still on some of the radiators. I wouldn't be suprised if the Jacobus main vents are similar to the Gorton #2's. I wonder if the Jacobus valves are still made?
Ed

[Deleted User]

it sounds like you

have one pipe steam, is that correct? the gorton #2's should work fine at the end on the mains as they are not in the boiler room then..around cleveland ohio, the hoffman brand is all thats sold, i have to get my gortons by special order..the gortons vent the most but have this quirk about closing due to heat about 110 degrees they start to close (and that directly from gorton). at 130 they are fully closed...alot of boiler rooms around here are 110 degrees or more at the ceiling, which is were the vents usually are...in your case i would try to put the gorton 2's at the end of the main..sounds like that bathroom pipe is a branch..what size is that slow to heat radiator? and what vent is on it?

Marguerite ~ From Brooklyn ~

Reply To Gerry

Dear Gerry,

Thanks again for your reply. I really appreciate it.

I dislike Maid O’Mist they only last a year. I do not care for the quality at all. We had a Maid O’Mist on the main and it lasted one year and it started dripping water. They never lasted on my radiators either. I like Hoffman and Gorton the best. I learned from Ken at Gorton that nothing vents as much air as a Gorton. Hoffman is making adjustable air vents for the radiators now. I’m not sure how it compares to Gorton. Hoffman does not have the variety of sizing that Gorton has, but it is definitely a good product.

I’m not 100% sure what you mean by one pipe steam. If you mean how many pipes are going into my radiators there is one pipe. So it sounds like to you I have only a long main and a branch, not a long and short main?

So you don’t think I have to worry about the steam being too hot and closing the Gorton No. 2. My plumber is coming back to give me an estimate to install the Gorton No. 2. It cannot be installed where the Hoffman 45 is because of the limited space. So I proposed to him to leave the Hoffman 45 in place and right before the elbow install the Gorton No. 2. Does this sound good to you? I just hope it is not an expensive job. I also have to do some breaking to accomplish this.

It is my master bedroom that is slow to heat the following are the specs for the room:

Room Size - 12 feet (14 ½ feet with closet included) by 17 feet

Closet Size - 2 ½ feet by 11 feet (has bi-fold doors)

Radiator Fin Size Installed Inside A Cabinet - 47 ½ inches Wide x 6 inches High x 3 inches Deep

Air Vent Size Installed - Gorton No. D

The Master Bedroom, located in the front of the building, is much too cold in comparison to the other rooms. It is usually 5 degrees colder than the room where the thermostat is located. And, it has been as much as 8 degrees colder.

This radiator is the furthest from the boiler. This room is isolated from the other rooms by a hallway that measures approximately 3 feet wide by 16 feet long; therefore, the heat from the other rooms cannot reach this one. All rooms are off this hallway. The Master Bedroom is located under the roof vent, which vents the roof of the building. This room faces towards the West.

The problem is compounded by the fact that there is two (2) outside walls, four (4) windows, and a large closet with two (2) 48 inch-wide bi-fold doorways that adds another 2 ½ feet to the width of the room to heat. I suspect that the radiator may be too small and unable to fully heat the room. I can confirm this after I balance my heating system.

Please let me know. Many thanks and take care.

Best regards,

Marguerite

Marguerite ~ From Brooklyn ~

Reply To Ed

Dear Ed,

Thanks for your reply. It is appreciated.

I am sorry about your Dad. I lost mine two years ago. He was the handy guy around the house that took care of everything for everyone. If I could show him this heatinghelp.com, he would be getting a kick out of it. He enjoyed plumbing as well as many other trades.

I have not had the same good experience with the Maid O'Mist/Jacobus air vents and air eliminators as you have had. I don't like the brand due to the poor performance and quality.

It is my understanding that Maid O'Mist copied Gorton. Gorton vents much more air than Maid O'Mist. A Gorton No. 2 is equivalent to four (4) Gorton No. 1's or four (4) Gorton No. D's. I am not sure want the Maid O'Mist/Jacobus No. 1 is equivalent to.

Well that's it for now. Take care.

Best regards,

~ Marguerite ~
From Brooklyn

[Deleted User]

yup, i'd put the gorton on,

just like you plan..is the rest of the house convectors like your bedroom, or stand up cast iron radiation?

Marguerite ~ From Brooklyn ~

Reply To Inquiry Regarding Radiators

Dear Gerry,

Yes, almost all of my radiators are recessed cabinets with a cast iron fin running through the middle of the radiator. I have a pipe/riser in my 1/2 bath and an old fashioned cast iron radiator in my full bathroom.

Attached is something I had put together for Ken at Gorton for his advice on which size air vents should be on my radiators. It is probably more info than you would want, but everything is there and would answer any other questions you may have.

Once again,many thanks. You've been terrific!

Best regards,

Marguerite