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Pipes to one Steam Radiator Banging in Nursery

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mcmurphynora
mcmurphynora
in Strictly Steam

Hello - I have a very old home with steam radiators. I believe they are steam because they all have vents on the top left corner that let out steam periodically. The pipes inside the wall going to one of my radiators bang terribly just after we turn the system on or just after it calls for heat again. I don’t tend to notice the radiator itself shaking; it instead feels like the pipes inside the wall are going to bang their way out of the wall. It is terribly loud and scary and is in our nursery which is just awful. I don’t think the air vent is faulty because we had replaced them and I do see it lets steam out the same way the others do. Any tips on how to stop the banging?

Comments

  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul

    water is remaining trapped in a settled pipe. The water cools between calls for heat and then when the steam hits it on the next call for heat, it causes the banging.

    the hardest part of fixing this will be finding a professional who understands this.

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall

    Where are you located? We may well know someone who can help…

    In the meantime, a photo of a radiator? I'm concerned about two things: first, the location of the vent— on steam it should be about a third of the way up the radiator on the end opposite the steam inlet, not at the top. Second, it shouldn't let steam out — air yes, but not steam.

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1903429#Comment_1903429

    Those things are important, but for the original poster's clarity, I will say they have nothing to do with the banging.

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1903427#Comment_1903427

    Have we ruled out thermal expansion / contraction causing the pipes to pop as they slide against something?

    Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.

  • mcmurphynora
    mcmurphynora
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1903433#Comment_1903433
    IMG_3595.jpeg

    here is a pic of the radiator! We are located near Framingham, MA. Thank you for your help! It’s been hard trying to research and find anyone who knows anything about radiators.

  • mcmurphynora
    mcmurphynora
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1903429#Comment_1903429
    IMG_3595.jpeg
    https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1903433#Comment_1903433
    IMG_3595.jpeg

    here is a pic of the radiator! We are located near Framingham, MA. Thank you for your help! It’s been hard trying to research and find anyone who knows anything about radiators.

  • mcmurphynora
    mcmurphynora

    Also, I put a level on the radiator and it is ever so slightly leaning to the left, meaning it’s ever so slightly pitched away from the pipe coming out of the ground … which I think is bad? You will also see a stained extra piece of carpet below that pipe because it leaks water down there onto the carpet. I assume that’s bad too but do not know what to do or how to communicate to a repair person what I need to do to fix it

  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall

    OK — on that type of radiator, the vent needs to be exactly where you have it! Great! That's why pictures are important.

    Now the drip — is probably from the valve, and you might take a really close look. If it looks as though it's coming out on the stem with the handle on, that's easy (yeah, right) to fix — you will see that the stem goes through a fairly good sized nut which is threaded onto the valve body. That's called the packing nut, and if you can find a wrench which fits, try giving it a bit of a turn clockwise and see it that helps.

    And the radiator does need to be sloped wo that the valve end is lowest — I'd say at least a half inch lower than the other end. Depending on how it's hung on the wall, you may be able to raise the end with the vent on it enough.

    Make sure that that valve is all the way open!

    All that may help with the banging — but I wouldn't count on it. For top quality steam service, though, try @New England SteamWorks .

    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed

    @New England SteamWorks as @Jamie Hall mentioned or @Charlie from wmass . they both are usually busy so you may have to wait.

  • mattmia2
    mattmia2

    Are the other radiators in the system also that type or has only that radiator been replaced? That type of radiator will be more sensitive to pitch than conventional cast iron radiators because of its lower mass and smaller passages.

    STEAM DOCTOR
  • STEAM DOCTOR
    STEAM DOCTOR

    What is the history? Did it ever work properly? When did it start banging.…? Were there any changes made?

    mattmia2

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