Riser in the wall

Robert O'Connor_3

I'll check to see if I have a picture of the gutted kitchen after the plumber did the move.

Robert O'Connor_3

Riser in the wall

Before I knew anything about steam heat I renovated my kitchen and had a plumber move a riser pipe into an outside wall. Should I remove the sheetrock and insulate the riser pipe. The radiator that is being supplied does not get very hot, only about 8 out of 22 fins get warm after about 1.5hrs of run time. Thanks for you help !

Brad White_9

I would

insulate the pipe, yes, as much as I could fit in the wall cavity. Moulded fiberglass, not foam. Most model codes state 1.5 inch thickness for the pipe sizes usually encountered if at steam temperatures. If you can fit in that, great. If not, do the best you can, an inch at least. If you have to use half-inch thick because that is all you can get from the big box store, nest multiple layers as a suggestion.

But I would do a couple of things less invasive first:

1. I would want to know what size the pipe is versus the EDR (radiator square footage or output) it is serving. Remember in one-pipe steam the pipe carries both steam up and condensate down at the same time. Generally, the pipe should be not less than one inch for any radiator, and could be 1-1/4 inch or more for a larger one. If it is 3/4 or less? Jeesh.

2. I would make sure the hand valve is fully open and that the air vent is working properly. Nothing stops steam faster than a clogged vent. Steam is a gas that seeks lower pressure; the clearer the path the faster she heats.

If you check out the vent first and she heats, that may be OK. If it improves things but not 100%, insulating will certainly help especially if there is no insulation in the stud cavity. But I have to ask, how could the plumber install a new pipe in an exterior wall without insulation? And if the wall cavit(ies) are not insulated in general, why not? Suggesting that if you wanted to have dense-pack cellulose blown in, it may help overall. But I do not know how that would hold up against a steam pipe over time. I would favor fiberglass and blow in around the insulated pipe.

Robert O'Connor_3

Pipe in the wall

Thank you for the reply.

The cavity is insulated but the pipe is bare. The wall gets pretty hot were the pipe goes up. The vent is a new Gorton 'D'. pipe is probably 1 to 1 1/4.

DanHolohan

I would suspect more

the way the pipe runs. Did the plumber offset it to its new location, and if so, how did he do it. Can you include a sketch?

DanHolohan

What went on below the floor is more important.

chilly

riser in the wall

I have a home that has 1 pipe steam and none of the risers to the second floor rads are insulated and all the radiators work just fine.

I would worry about the piping and not the insulation.

Did the radiator heat up last year? If so then whatever the plumber did when the pipe was moved is suspect.