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Why does this one small radiator have two valves?

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TheUpNorthState88
TheUpNorthState88 Posts: 136
edited 8:14PM in THE MAIN WALL

Hello,

I have already had to fire up my boiler because temps have already been dipping into the low 40s in my area of Michigan and I’m not one of those people that fight turning my heating on lol. I like comfort and hate a chilly house.


In total, I have 11 CI radiators and 1 fin tube baseboard (2200 sq ft two-story colonial, built 1909). My system is 100% gravity, connected to my 1937 Ideal Boiler No. 7, I even have a Honeywell Heat generator connected to my system and attic expansion tank. (You can look through my old posts to see more on my well preserved system).

One thing that has always made me curious is why my small front vestibule radiator has two valves on it? This radiator, along with my dining room radiator, both branch off of the same supply and return lines in the basement.


Another weird one for everyone, four of my CI rads on the first floor have no valves at all. They are just always “on” piped into the system. Have any of you seen a radiator system setup like that with no valves on some of the radiators? And no, there are no valves in the basement to these radiators. Just your standard supply and returns lines to and from the boiler .

I am having zero issues with my system and everything works beautifully. This is merely just my curiosity and wanting to ask pros who have worked on 1000s of residential systems over the years.

Thank you!

IMG_7540.jpeg IMG_7541.jpeg

Dining room rad, no valve.

IMG_6309.jpeg IMG_6310.jpeg

One of my under the window Living room rads, no valve.

IMG_6311.jpeg

Kitchen Rad, no valve.

IMG_8260.jpeg

The Green Beast running the operation.

IMG_7745.jpeg

Lifelong Michigander

-Willie

Comments

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Posts: 4,478

    My guess is they ran out of elbows. Interesting it appears some radiators have no valves. Maybe the installer was a bit under the weather.

    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System
  • HVACNUT
    HVACNUT Posts: 7,686

    Are the 4 radiators downstairs plus the vestibule radiator the total of the first floor radiators? Then 6 upstairs with valves? I'm just throwing darts but if thats the layout, maybe valves upstairs to regulate over heating if the thermostat is on the first floor? If that's not the layout, then I have no idea.

    As far as the vestibule, is it original to the house? Is that bleeder key part of the bleeder, or you just stuck it there? Nice rads BTW.

  • TheUpNorthState88
    TheUpNorthState88 Posts: 136

    @HVACNUT

    Floor 1 ( 7 CI rads, 4 with no valves)

    Floor 2 (4 CI rads, 1 fin-tube baseboard, all CI rads have valves)

    Everything except the fin-tube baseboard (early 2000s CI rad swap out per previous owner) are all original CI rads to the house. I ordered bleeder keys from Amazon which came in like a pack of 12 (they were dirt cheap) so I stuck one on every rad.

    Thank you!

    Lifelong Michigander

    -Willie

    HVACNUT
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Posts: 18,889

    It's possible more than one contractor was involved. The vestibule rad is an American "Rococo". The Dining Room rad is some other model, and the Kitchen appears similar. All these are column-type rads. The window rad appears to be a large-tube type, which came out about 1925 or so.

    Co-Founder, All Steamed Up, Inc.

    Semi-retired

    Baltimore, MD, USA

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