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Well, I had great responses to my ‘Old Drafty Windows’ question that I thought I’d throw out another question. I have radiator steam heat (by natural gas.) While I don’t have banging pipes, I have something even more maddening (to me anyway.) When the heat is on, one radiator sounds like it has water sloshing or gurgling around in it. It probably starts about half way through the heating cycle and is really noisy. It is on the second floor, relatively far away from the boiler. No water comes out of the vent (which I have replaced), but it gurgles so much that I turn the vent down at night. Do I need to get a heating professional or can I solve this my self. I’m willing to do anything (well, almost anything…)
Joe Joyce
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Joe: I'm no steam expert, but the guys at heatinghelp.com are. Specifically, their section on steam heat let's you look at info about common problems in one-pipe and two-pipe steam systems:
http://www.heatinghelp.com/steam_problems.cfm
Try the ideas presented there, hopefully that will give you a solution. If not, having learned some of the lingo, post the results of your attempts and your question at "The Wall":
http://www.heatinghelp.com/
*My parents recently replaced a 40 year old, oil fired, hot water boiler with a new oil fired unit.The installer did not consider new windows, updated attic insulation etc. etc., but instead installed a boiler of the same output capacity as the old one. The new boiler, in mid-winter, only runs one to two minutes before the house warms and thermostat cuts it off. Boiler temponly reaches set temp of 170 degrees on the coldest nights and then only runs for about five minutes. Installer previously replaced 1 gpm nozzle with a .85 gpm but results are as described above. I am concerned that boiler is operating very inefficientlywhich could result in shorter life of the unit as well as increased heating costs when compared to the old. Comments please.
*Joe, have you checked the actual valve to the radiator (not the vent, but the valve)? In my own experience, sleeping in a steam heated room, I tried everything to actually reduce the amount of heat in the room. This room is nearest the boiler, and if you sleep with the door closed, you will roast. I tried to close down the valve (single pipe steam), figuring I would let less steam in. Well, what actually happens is the condensate water begins to rumble (boil?) in the radiator. The steam gets in, but the water only slowly gets out. It is possible, if a gate valve is used, that it is not (or will not) open fully. Try replacing the valve. ---TJM.
*Randy and Joe, definitely go to heatinghelp.comthey're the steam / hydronic experts.
*Hey guys, Last night I read some of "The Lost Art of Steam Heating" by Mr. Holohan. He does mention "why" it is possible to roast out of a bedroom....in the old days people slept with the window open, even in winter, to let the "bad" air out. The radiator apparently was there to help heat the outside, too! I also visited "heatinghelp.com". The only problem I noticed (or did not notice?) was the lack of a search function. Is there one on that site? I would like to know what I can use to wrap the asbestos covered steam pipes in my basement. Some of this covering has been damaged (kid with a hockey stick, it would appear), and I would like to cover this. I would rather not remove it, as the process of removing this stuff has been found to cause more problems than just leaving it alone. I'm thinking the layered insulation made up of aluminum foil outsides, silicon bubbles inside. Any opinions? I definitely appreciate the help of these sites, though. Thanks.--TJM
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Well, I had great responses to my 'Old Drafty Windows' question that I thought I'd throw out another question. I have radiator steam heat (by natural gas.) While I don't have banging pipes, I have something even more maddening (to me anyway.) When the heat is on, one radiator sounds like it has water sloshing or gurgling around in it. It probably starts about half way through the heating cycle and is really noisy. It is on the second floor, relatively far away from the boiler. No water comes out of the vent (which I have replaced), but it gurgles so much that I turn the vent down at night. Do I need to get a heating professional or can I solve this my self. I'm willing to do anything (well, almost anything...)
Joe Joyce