Cleaning Radiator Air Vents

Vic Kulihin

I just had a new Bunham gas-fired boiler installed (about 6 weeks ago) in my single-pipe steam system. Beautiful thing...I hope it never gets down to 49 degrees in my dining room again, like it did last January.

So now I have plenty of heat...and plenty of hissing noise. From my research, I think what has happened is dirt from the lines has been driven into some of the air vents on the radiators and rendered them non-functional; so the ones that do still work sound like 747s taking off.

My question: what is the most effective way to clean the vents? The prospect of replacing them regularly is disconcerting (those little suckers aren't cheap!) And, is there something I could/should do that might prevent them from clogging, or at least lessen the chances of them clogging?

Thanks for your help!

Vic

gerry gill

immerse in vinigar

to clean them..i find less hissing with ''gorton'' brand air vents than with anyone's elses..recently i put a brand new hoffman on a radiator and it hissed like crazy..i immedeatly replaced it with a gorton and its quite as a church mouse..

don_60

cleaing steam/air vents

Vic, my dad was in the business for many years, and would boil steam vents in white vinegar for about 10 minutes and then ten minutes in clear water. It seemed to work for the less clogged vents. Suggest you keep an eye on the color of the boiler water, too. By the way, the best time to drain off some rust in the boiler, is when the rust is suspended in the water, which means when it is making steam,just be careful to let the boiler cool down and use gradual-slowly return the replacement water to the boiler, lest you crack the boiler with too much of a temperature change caused by the refill water. How did you settle on those steam/air vents ?