Spitting Valve (not air vent)

Jim Bennett

If water (steam) is spitting from the valve, it probably needs to be repacked. A good steam man can service these for you.

You are on the right track with the air vents. This is how you balance this type of heat. Slower on the ones closest to the boiler, faster on the ones farther away. Ideally you want steam arriveing at all the radiators at the same time.

Good luck,

Jim

Carrie

Spitting Valve (not air vent)

hi! I'm a homeowner with a single pipe steam system.

a) we're having the floors refinished in our home, and after taking up the old carpet noticed that the valve near the floor (the only valve on the radiator) on one radiator is spitting, and looking at the condition of the wood floor around it, it may have been doing this for some time. i can't turn the valve in either direction. i would think this needs to be replaced, yes?

b) all the air vents were almost all on medium. some radiators would get warm really fast and bake the room, some weren't really getting warm at all (namely the second floor). the ones that got really hot are closest to the boiler, i put those on slow, the large rad in the living room is now on medium and the ones on the second floor i put on fast. the second floor is definitely warmer, but then i noticed the spitting from the valve and wondered if the vents were on medium for a reason. am i just being paranoid?

thanks in advance!