Cold cast iron radiators
I was hoping someone would have a suggestion as to what to do with cast iron radiators that do not heat up all the way. Only the top part of the radiator gets hot – the lower rungs of the radiator stay cold. This happens only in 2 out of 4 radiators on our lower…
I was hoping someone would have a suggestion as to what to do with cast iron radiators that do not heat up all the way. Only the top part of the radiator gets hot – the lower rungs of the radiator stay cold. This happens only in 2 out of 4 radiators on our lower level – so I know the hot water is getting through. It’s an old colonial house built in 1928 with a hot water gravity system. My husband has tried to “bleed” the radiators with no luck. Help anyone? All suggestions would be appreciated.
I don’t think the radiators need to be “flushed out”. More likely, they are assembled with an orifice in the supply or return connection that regulate the flow of water through them. Most, if not all, gravity systems are converted steam systems and the orifices were a handy way of balancing heat distributed by the new medium.
Don’t get hung up on how hot the radiators get. They may be designed to only heat partially and that might be enough to warm the rooms they serve.
If you were so inclined, you could convert that system to forced circulation and save a significant amount of fuel.
Have the radiators flushed out. I’ll look up a company for you. You could also buy new ones. When I bought new ones from DT Plumbing supply 4 years ago it cost me $11 per section, that’s two loops.