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Clogged steam mains

leaking
leaking Member Posts: 128
in THE MAIN WALL

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 ?

Mad Dog_2

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Comments

  • tcassano87
    tcassano87 Member Posts: 87

    what makes you believe the main is clogged?

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

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,767
    tcassano87

    Or a serious lack of main vents?

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

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    tcassano87delcrossv
  • ScottSecor
    ScottSecor Member Posts: 968

    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.

    ethicalpaulMad Dog_2
  • Grallert
    Grallert Member Posts: 961
    ScottSecor

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

    Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse manager, teacher, dog walker and designated driver

  • tcassano87
    tcassano87 Member Posts: 87

    good point didn’t think of that at first

  • leaking
    leaking Member Posts: 128

    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
    delcrossv Member Posts: 2,148

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

    Call @The Steam Whisperer .

    Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.

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