Clogged steam mains

leaking · January 27

I think I have clogged mains . Chicago apartment building about 300 feet of mains -returns , built pre ww11. Can the mains be cleaned without replacing ? Any body pro at this in Chicago ?

tcassano87 · January 27

what makes you believe the main is clogged?

Are you sure it’s not the wet return that’s clogged?

Steamhead · January 27

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1838196#Comment_1838196

Or a serious lack of main vents?

For Chicagoland, get in touch with @The Steam Whisperer .

ScottSecor · January 27

Very rare to have a clogged steam main. I am not sure I ever saw one in the last forty years of working on commercial and residential steam heating systems.

Grallert · January 27

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1838210#Comment_1838210

Same. Unless it's "clogged" with pooling water.

tcassano87 · January 27

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1838202#Comment_1838202

good point didn’t think of that at first

leaking · January 27

yes I meant return, one pipe steam, doesn’t the main supply turn into a return ? Boiler, controls , vents on returns all clean . It hits 1.5 full pressure in 45 seconds vs 15 minutes, it stops, water drops to bottom gauge. Then water rises where low cut off allows it to fire, for only 45 seconds , then that’s the cycle. It might take water 30 minutes to fill gauge up 12” to very top. I have auto water feed off of boiler floods . Heat in apartments is messed up , apartment furthest from boiler is 82 today , I keep 72. What else could it be . Mark_ransley@yahoo.com if in Chicago and you are family with this . Is it the boiler? I don’t think so , I heard actual water sloshing in pipe last week,

delcrossv · January 27

You have a clogged wet return and/or a pitch problem.

Call @The Steam Whisperer .

Clogged steam mains

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