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Leaking Radiator and Boiler Filling No Autofeeder hi

Jas1994
Jas1994 Member Posts: 4
in Strictly Steam

Hi

Typical NYC steam boiler issues at this time of the year. I have a system for which I was doing a preseason drain and fill to remove gunk, however after refilling to middle of sight glass, two things have been happening. This is all with the system and boiler OFF.

- Main floor radiator has been leaking good amount of water from its air vent

-I don't have an automatic water feeder, and I've completely drained the system with the Boiler switch and thermostat off...yet somehow water keeps building up and getting into the system.

Attaching some pics.

Would love some help so I can turn the system on and get it running, but these maintenance issues prob need to be addressed before it severely overfills and radiators leak any further.

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Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,515

    If a main floor vent is leaking water, you know two things: that vent is all done and you need a new one. Second, the boiler is insanely overfilled. If that vertical copper line with a valve on it in the first picture is the only way to fill the boiler (no indirect, no DHW coil) it has to be leaking by. Easy to check. Drain the boiler down to halfway on the sight glass. Close that valve. I don't see a handy union on that line… pity. But anyway, if the water level in the glass rises… there's your problem.

    If there is… new valve time. Use a ball valve.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    Big Ed_4
  • Jas1994
    Jas1994 Member Posts: 4

    Thanks for confirming alot of my suspicion. The red valve on the copper line is the only feed (manual) from my hot water heater to the boiler.

    I've both entirely drained and half way/lower in sight glass, and despite that valve being closed (as much I can hand tight), water level has risen over a day or two... Without the system being on.

    What I'm curious about is how come all that previous months when the system was also sitting dormant was it not overflowing, but instead sitting at given sight glass level for months? This only happened after my drain and fill... Did it start leaking off this one instance, does it need to be tightened even harder (I've hand tightened as much as possible).

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,515

    Valves will do that. They'll be fine — or seem fine — until one day you go to operate them and when you go to close them they won't. Nothing you did amiss — just the nature of the beast.

    I doubt that tightening it further will help a bit. sorry…

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • Jas1994
    Jas1994 Member Posts: 4

    Great now just to find someone in NYC who can help with replacing the valve with a ball valve.

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,048
    edited October 17

    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,607

    just to confirm, that circulator feeds a hot water heating loop, not an indirect tank?

    if that valve is a gate valve, opening and closing it, with moderate force, don't crank on it or you may break the stem, several times may dislodge whatever is keeping the gate from sealing.

  • Jas1994
    Jas1994 Member Posts: 4

    The red circulator connects the copper pipe going into the boiler, directly to the top of my hot water heater tank right to the side (not visible in the picture). Woke up this AM and am able to drain more water from the lowest spigot on boiler despite emptying and not having added anything last night.

    I will say, the copper piping beyond the red valve, closest to the boiler is HOT, just like the piping before the valve, even though the valve is "shut". However, the water I'm draining, is COOLish.

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 26,515

    Wait! "the red circulator connects… directly to the top of my hot water heater…"

    Is that water heated by hot water from the boiler? What is called an indirect? Those are notorious for leaking from the domestic hot water side to the heating side…

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    mattmia2
  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,048

    More pictures of the whole system may help. Still you will need someone to repair / replace the leaking issue.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • Grallert
    Grallert Member Posts: 999

    As mentioned above and without a full picture of the system it does look like you have an indirect water heater. If you google that you'll see what were talking about. You could try closing that big yellow valve at the bottom and the ball valve (lever) up and to the right. That might narrow down the culprit

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

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 3,048
    edited October 17

    If you close the valves shut off the circulator pump(s).

    image.png
    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,830

    Try @JohnNY , @EzzyT @Mad Dog_2

    mattmia2
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,607
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1868216#Comment_1868216

    and @clammy

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