Balancing one-pipe steam

Steve Garson

After installing new vents on the mains and lowerin the pressure a bit, I am amazed at how quickly my radiators heat up and how much less hot my basement is. Thanks for the advice Steamhead.

Today I installed a Gorton 4 vent on two radiators that before were not getting enough heat. Now everything is heating equally except for one tiny bathroom radiator that is getting zero steam. I even took the vent off to see if it would get steam but the temperature never elevated a degree.

Does this mean that the two new vents that I installed are venting too much? Is the problem that the pressure differential is too low, so the pressure isn't being maintained long enough to reach this one radiator, which by the way, is not on the far reach of the line, but on a riser to the first floor mid-way down the main line.

Thanks

Steve Garson

Correction: It was the GORTON D Vapor Equalizing Valve

Steve Garson

The radiator that is not heating was plenty hot before I added the faster vents on the other two radiators.

Steamhead

That might be part of the problem

but I'd also ask if the mains are insulated, and if the boiler is properly sized to the radiation.

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Steve Garson

The main pipes are insulated, but the riser to the radiators are not. The boiler is way oversized - 70years old. When I replaced the main vents yesterday, one of them wasn't venting at all.

Steamhead

Then

experiment with your vent sizes. Try going one size smaller on the rads that heat fast and see if the steam reaches the cold one.

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Steve Garson

I have to thank you for all your advice. You've been so helpful!