Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.
If our community has helped you, please consider making a contribution to support this website. Thanks!

Condensate pipe pitch

Options
richarddowling
richarddowling Member Posts: 29
in Strictly Steam

I have 2 pipe steam system. One radiator gets hot to supply valve only. I noticed condensate pipe is pitched upward due to settling(?) over time. Would this cause radiator not to heat. Have new trap and new valve.

Comments

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 27,237

    Condensate pipe? Do you mean the dry return from the outlet of the radiator to the dry returns in the basement? If so, it handles not just condensate but also air — and it must be pitched so that the condensate can drain freely to the principal dry return.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    EdTheHeaterMan
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 12,035
    edited February 28

    If the return pipe after the trap is pitched wrong so the condensation stays in the pipe then the air cant get out of the radiator thru the dry return pipe after that trap. a new trap may not fix your problem if you have a pipe pitched the wrong way as shown in this illustration:

    Screenshot 2026-02-27 at 10.10.41 PM.jpg

    See the condensation is stuck in that pipe on the radiator on the right, blocking the air from getting back the the air vent in the dry return pipe?

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    Bill_69

Categories