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1913 heater

jim_38
jim_38 Member Posts: 1
My heating (steam) is orginal to the house (1913), but still works great. The problem, I have one radiator that worked when we bought the house, but stopped working all of the sudden. I had a local contractor look at it and he has no clue :( The furnace was coal and converted to gas, not sure when. Any suggestions? I've looked for books on the subject, saw a couple on this site, but not sure which is the best.

Thanks!
Jim

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Comments

  • bob young
    bob young Member Posts: 2,177


    bad air valve or bad control valve. always check the ovious first.
  • Mark Eatherton1
    Mark Eatherton1 Member Posts: 2,542
    If I may suggest a book...

    The Lost Art of Steam Heating will fill the bill.

    I suspect either a closed valve, or failed bullet air vent is the cuase of your problem. In any case, buy Dans book and YOU will be the local steam expert...

    Let us know how you fair.

    ME

    To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,620
    And if you need professional help

    on that system, go to the Find a Professional page of this site. The best in the industry are on that page. If you're in the Baltimore area, e-mail me!
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • Dean_7
    Dean_7 Member Posts: 192
    books

    As a homeowner who bought and read The Lost Art of Steam Heating along with the EDR book and We've got Steam Heat. Let me say this, they allowed me to restore my old steam system to it's original efficiency last Feb. as a result my gas bill dropped 75% (I've got the bills from last winter to prove it) . My boiler is a two year old Burnham Independence PV in case anyone is interested.
  • Christian Egli
    Christian Egli Member Posts: 277
    Fantastic

    Congratulations to those who chose to maintain their steam system. It was much less painful and much less expensive than changing over the whole heating plant to something else, plus you ended up with something superior.

    Think of how reliable these very old systems have been over the years. Due to lack of proper care, they were no longer running at their top efficiency but anything other than steam with the same lack of care would simply be broken. Leaving you out in the cold.

    Steam heat was the deluxe thing in the past and still is today, and it deserves the proper attention. For the best help, look for a professional that knows and loves steam.

    It makes me happy to read about your successes.


  • Dale
    Dale Member Posts: 1,317
    one or 2 pipe?

    Get the "we got steam heat" book. You will see what the basics are and go from there. For instance your post didn't say if you have 1 or 2 pipe steam. All responders guess 1 pipe and the little bullit radiator vent being clogged is the main no heat reason for a one rad problem. Just unscrew the vent and see if the rad then heats if it does buy a new vent. If you have a 2 pipe system the problem is a little more complex. If you buy all the steam heat books on this site you'll spend less than $150 and know more than the vast majority of heating contractors.
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