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Message |
    
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 362
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 11:00 am: | 
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After 8 years of working beautifully (and silently) 6 of our 20 odd radiators are ice cold. I honestly know very little about this type of system except that when the kids were little and they turned the small wooden knob on the top, scalding hot water comes streaming out!
The gas furnace works fine. One unit that doesn't work is in the kitchen while the other 5 are upstairs in bedrooms over the kitchen end of the house.
Any ideas? Do all plumbers know how to troubleshoot this type of system? |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 291
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 1:43 pm: |
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Not all plumbers know a great deal about hydronic (water-based) heating systems, though most have a general working knowledge.
Your problem is likely to be pressure-related. A new and properly adjusted pressure reducing (regulating) valve, along with a thorough purging of entrained air should take care of it.
I'll bet your system is lacking an automatic air eliminator.
I know this because:
1. You claim the system used to work well.
2. The problem seems to be limited almost entirely to what are presumably the highest points in the system, where air is likely to displace water.
3. Those wooden-handled valves may have been added as a way to bleed air from each radiator as this may have been a recurring problem for the previous owner.
Good luck.
Master Plvmber |
Joan
Supporter
Username: Joancrystal
Post Number: 4639
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 2:01 pm: |
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I don't know if you have the same kind of steam system that we do but we had a similar sounding problem earlier this year when it was 15 degrees outside and about 59 degrees inside in the late afternoon, even after my husband turned the heat up to 74 degrees. He solved the problem by changing the valves on the cold radiators (most of which were on lower floors of the house)and by tapping here and there with a rubber mallot to try and get rid of some air he said must be trapped in the system. No call to a plumber was needed. |
kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 363
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 3:21 pm: |
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Thank you Master Plumber and Joan....I am now going to begin investigation.
I also searched the archives and found some interesting heating-related web sites that I need to delve into. |
pcg
Citizen
Username: Pcg
Post Number: 115
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, January 2, 2005 - 9:01 pm: |
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Two quick thoughts.
I bleed the air out of my hot water radiators every fall heating season. Two of three on the top floor always need the air bled out. The radiators are cooler until the air is bled out
There should be a pressure gage on the boiler and it should have marker as to where the pressure should be when the boiler is cold. If there is not enough water, you may want to add some water.
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kmk
Supporter
Username: Kmk
Post Number: 365
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Monday, January 3, 2005 - 2:20 pm: |
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Within 24 hours this problem has been put to rest!
After searching the archive I gave Palmer Heating a call around 3:30PM Sunday. I calmly left a message hoping someone might get back to me during the work week. Within 30 minutes I had a call back. At 8:30AM this morning they dispatch a tech and by 11:30AM we are a very toasty house.
It was (as suspected) air in the top radiators. The sudden occurence of air was probably caused by low pressure which was probably caused by a partially clogged valve that goes to the hot water heater.
The real kicker is that the kitchen radiator(which is new) was....ahem, turned off. For the records folks "Rightsy tightsy, Leftsy Loosey" does NOT apply to radiator valves that have a straight handle!
I am now pleased to say that I can/will let air out of the radiators on my own and I can whole-heartedly reccommend Palmer Heating for this type of job. |
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