My 3rd floor apartment is cold

ScottF1

I live in a 3rd floor apartment in a 3 story house with three separate apartments all heated by the same gas-fired steam radiator system. Since it started to get cool in September (I'm in Massachusetts) I've gotten less heat than I was expecting. The radiator appears to be a one-pipe radiator. My landlord states that someone has come out twice to see what the problem is, but it's still suboptimal. Now, I don't like being a pain, so I figured I would post here before calling her again and see if there was anything I needed to do in my apartment to adjust the heat. I have no thermostat of my own, and on the radiator there appears to be a valve on the inlet/outlet pipe that I can turn. I have turned it all the way to the left which I assume is the "open" position, and since some heat gets to the radiator I guess that's the right way. The only other thing I can see on the radiator is a small metal device on the opposite side of the radiator sitting halfway up and screwed in. It also has a turnable plastic knob on it with numbers from 1 to 8 on it. I just noticed it today, and the setting was at 6. It has a little opening in the top, I assume it's some sort of release valve for air or steam. So far when the radiator does get warm only the half by the inlet/outlet pipe has gotten warm, the opposite side remains ice-cold. Would adjusting that air valve make a difference? Is the inlet/outlet valve in the right position? Do I have to call my landlord again to see if there's a bigger problem with the heat? From the sound of it the 1st and 2nd floor apartments are having no problems. Thank you for your help!

Brad White_9

Scott,

Open the air vent all the way to the highest setting.

Find out what pressure is being created at the boiler. It need only be ounces. Resist the urge to crank it up.

See if the mains are vented. Air has to get out so steam can take it's place.

I just posted another reply to a very similar question just today.

http://forums.invision.net/Thread.cfm?CFApp=2&Thread_ID=42553&mc=3

In addition, the multiple tenants on one steam boiler lends itself to a more centralized steam control such as Tekmar. Short money for what it does. Can increase comfort (lessen complaints) while saving the landlady aggravation and money in the long run.

Garret

If you're cold, and the landlord isn't supplying heat to sufficient temperature, yes you'll need to call the landlord again... You might want to look up your zip code in the "find a professional" section here, and if you find someone, give that contact info to your landlord. Just because someone's been out to look at it twice doesn't mean the person knew a thing about steam.

Some ideas...

It's possible the vent on your radiator is bad... that shiny thing with the numbers on it is an air vent. It closes to steam, but lets air out. If the radiator can't let the air out, you won't get any heat. So open it up all the way (probably the "8" setting) and see if that helps. Or go to the hardware store and buy a new one. It should just screw off/on. Just clear it with your landlord, and be careful not to strip anything.

Unfortunately, though, the overall system might be unbalanced... steam goes wherever it's easiest, so if all the downstairs radiators (which are closer to the supply) have their vents on 9, you might not get heat. The general strategy is to vent the mains (in the basement) very fast, and the radiators very slowly.

I'm just a homeowner though, the pros here will have better advice.

Good luck!
-Garret