Finding Steam Pipes behind DryWall

Dairon421 · January 2021

The problem is one radiator out the whole house not getting hot. Its a one pipe system. I took off the air vent no action. I crack the radiator valve and got constant air and gurgling sound. Main return vents are good and all the supply riser on the main is hot. I suspect that a pipe in the drywall have a negative pitch and condensate is blocking it. The home been under alot of construction so I think someone moved a pipe or bump it while working. My question is are their any tools or techniques to find the piping inside the walls. The radiator is on the 3rd floor so im going to have to go underneath.

PC7060 · January 2021

FLIR camera is what I use. At a minimum will let you know the pipe is cold if you have general idea of location.

mattmia2 · January 2021

The part with the pitch problem is much more likely to be in the ceiling/floor or where it offsets around the framing to get in to the ceiling from the wall.

neilc · January 2021

have you tried lifting the whole radiator?
or, if you open the valve to rad union, does that supply pipe have slack in the floor and can it be pulled up?

Dairon421 · January 2021

@neilc radiator was to heavy to lift up and pipe can't be pulled up

Jamie Hall · January 2021

Is it that the pipe can't be pulled up because the radiator can't be lifted, or that the pipe can't be pulled up when disconnected from the radiator? If it's the former, try again. Only don't strain your back -- use a 2x4 as a fulcrum and another one as a lever. Or a pry bar as the lever. Try the end without the pipe first -- that will verify that you can, in fact, lift the radiator, so if you can't lift the end with the pipe, you will know that it's the pipe.

Finding Steam Pipes behind DryWall

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