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Radiators getting loud, water level seems high

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tucker973
tucker973 Member Posts: 12
in Strictly Steam

Hi, a few questions here - with this extreme cold my system has been running almost nonstop just keeping up in this old house. I've always had a little whistle or whoosh from some of the radiators, but this week I've noticed them being extra loud and some even 'sputtery'.

I checked my water level, and alarmingly it seems to be full - I dumped a couple of gallons, a bit of it rusty and then full clear, and it still looks full. I don't want to keep dumping out water, but I'm also concerned. It's a manual feed and I haven't done any top offs in a while, unless someone else in the house has been without my knowledge.

What should I be doing for my next steps? Thanks in advance, this forum is great.

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 27,060

    Dump enough water so that the steaming water level in the boiler is slightly above the center of the sight glass..

    But… first make sure that that sight glass is really full, not completely empty! It isn't always obvious!

    The manual feed valve may not be closing completely…

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    ethicalpaulSTEAM DOCTOR
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 8,463
    edited January 30

    Or the autofeed solenoid valve (if you have an autofeed—it sounds like you don't but I leave this here for completion's sake) may be leaking by.

    Or if you heat your domestic hot water with a coil in your boiler, that coil may have a leak.

    This issue is important to solve because you definitely don't want your steam system full of water.

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

    STEAM DOCTOR
  • tucker973
    tucker973 Member Posts: 12

    Thanks for the quick reply! I'm pretty sure it isn't low, my lwco works last time I checked. I do have a manual fill lever, which is off but I'll check closely and let out some more water.

  • tucker973
    tucker973 Member Posts: 12
    1000004768.jpg
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 8,463

    Great action shot of draining in progress, let us know what you discover!

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • tucker973
    tucker973 Member Posts: 12

    I've got it down to a little above optimal so that I can monitor over the next few days. I'm hoping it was just a mistake (although fiancee swears she hasn't added water since December).

    I would say I dumped about 5 of those basins, so we'll see if those radiators quiet down a bit.

    1000004769.jpg
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR Member Posts: 2,557

    What type of work are fill valve do you have? Circular one or the lever type?

  • tucker973
    tucker973 Member Posts: 12
    edited January 30

    The fill line has a lever type ball valve, it's pretty obvious when I've got it open even slightly. I also recently installed a monitor on my water line and the only leaks I found were the toilets I needed to fix 😂

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