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Boiler repair is too good - leaking valves

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Vito Cavallo
Vito Cavallo Member Posts: 23
in THE MAIN WALL
I have a very old oil boiler connected to my one pipe steam system. My only issue was that it took 60 minutes for steam to start heating the radiators, up to 2 hours for the radiators to heat the house. Long story short, I purchased Dan's book "You've Got Steam", I insulated my mains and replaced all of my main and radiator vents. This had no change on this problem.

An oil burner tech just replaced the blast tube and end cone. Now, the radiators take 45 minutes to start heating and 75 minutes to heat the house. The bad news is that 3 of the radiator valves leak water, where they have not before. There is prior evidence of water leaks from long ago. Water seems to come from the connection between the valve and radiator.

My pressuretrol is set to 3 psi for the differential and 1 psi cut-in.

Why are my valves leaking now, and how do I stop the leaks? Did this repair increase the pressure in my system?

thanx in advance.

Comments

  • Brad White_23
    Brad White_23 Member Posts: 8
    Do you mean

    a 1 psi differential and a 3 psig cut-in? The way I read it, if the way you describe they are inverted.

    If you are operating at 3 psig I would think that is too high. Crank it down.

    If the valves are leaking (at the stems too?) they just might need repacking. No big deal. If they are as old as your boiler this is understandable. If as you say it is at the joint between the valve and radiator, I assume you tried tightening the union? Worst case you replace the valves. Again, if that old, something has to give over time.

    Even if reducing the pressure stops this (apparently) it is still an identifiable leak and I would solve that regardless.

    The repairs you did probably did not increase the pressure in your system so much as made it easier to reach and maintain the pressure your controls ask for. If you had never reached that pressure before, your burner must have been running continuously. I think the pressuretrol was adjusted upwards by forces unknown...
  • Long Beach Ed
    Long Beach Ed Member Posts: 1,806
    Too Much Pressure

    You don't want 3 or 4 pounds of pressure. You want ounces. Lower that control way down.

    If the unions are leaking, they can be tightened or taken apart, cleaned, aligned and reassembled.

    If it's the valve stems either repack them or tighten them.

    Fourty-five minutes to make steam is hideous. Make sure your vents are in good condition and that the mains each have vents on them. If all this was done, maybe you should consider replacing that boiler. Bet a new one could steam in ten minutes. That's a half hour of saved fuel each time the thing is turned on.

    Ed
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