Radiator not working

Ron Klimoff

Hi, I have a 3 story rowhouse in Philadelphia. I just moved in about 6 months ago. When I turned the heat on this year, the radiators on the 3rd floor are not working very well, in fact one radiator isn't working at all. I bled them all and I continue to bleed them once a week, but I never get water out of the ones on the 3rd floor.

What could be the cause of this? I'm assuming the heater isn't powerful enough to get the water to the 3rd floor, but I don't understand why one of them is ice cold all the time. At least the others on the 3rd floor get mildly warm.

Thanks for your help!

Ron K

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Most likely the system simply isn't full of water!

The pump does NOT lift water up to the top of the system--it merely circulates the water! The static fill pressure of the water itself has done the lifting.

You'll find a feed valve on the fresh water line leading to the boiler. ALSO look for an "auto fill" valve on the same line--it looks sort of like a big bullet with a thumb screw on the top.

If you find the auto-fill valve:

1) Ensure that any other valves on the line are open! If not open, open them. If you see another pipe bypassing the auto-fill that reconnects back to the fresh water pipe on either side of the auto fill valve do NOT open any valve in the bypass! That's the "fast fill" valve. Then bleed air. Have someone in the basement watch the system fill pressure gauge. If it rises above about 12 PSI, have them SHUT ANY VALVES YOU OPENED--IMMEDIATELY.

2) If all appropriate valves are already open, turn the thumbscrew on top of the auto-fill valve about 1/2 turn counter-clockwise. You should start to hear water moving. Then purge air. If you still don't get water, repeat. If you never hear water running or it never seems to get full, the auto-fill is probably defective.

If you don't find an auto-fill:

1) GET A HELPER!!!! Both will cell phones helps!!!

2) Have them open the fill valve slightly after you have opened air bleeds on the 3rd floor rads.

3) The helper should watch the fill pressure CAREFULLY. If it rises above 12 psi, they should shut the valve!

4) Keep filling until you get nothing but water from ALL radiators and the pressure gauge reads 12 PSI.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Most likely the system simply isn't full of water!

The pump does NOT lift water up to the top of the system--it merely circulates the water! The static fill pressure of the water itself has done the lifting.

You'll find a feed valve on the fresh water line leading to the boiler. ALSO look for an "auto fill" valve on the same line--it looks sort of like a big bullet with a thumb screw on the top.

If you find the auto-fill valve:

1) Ensure that any other valves on the line are open! If not open, open them. If you see another pipe bypassing the auto-fill that reconnects back to the fresh water pipe on either side of the auto fill valve do NOT open any valve in the bypass! That's the "fast fill" valve. Then bleed air. Have someone in the basement watch the system fill pressure gauge. If it rises above about 12 PSI, have them SHUT ANY VALVES YOU OPENED--IMMEDIATELY.

2) If all appropriate valves are already open, turn the thumbscrew on top of the auto-fill valve about 1/2 turn counter-clockwise. You should start to hear water moving. Then purge air. If you still don't get water, repeat. If you never hear water running or it never seems to get full, the auto-fill is probably defective.

If you don't find an auto-fill:

1) GET A HELPER!!!! Both will cell phones helps!!!

2) Have them open the fill valve slightly after you have opened air bleeds on the 3rd floor rads.

3) The helper should watch the fill pressure CAREFULLY. If it rises above 12 psi, they should shut the valve!

4) Keep filling until you get nothing but water from ALL radiators and the pressure gauge reads 12 PSI.