Hissing valve
I have a valve located on top of a pipe near the ceiling in the basement that continually hisses when the heat is on. Anyone know what i can do to get it to stop hissing? Thanks!
I have a valve located on top of a pipe near the ceiling in the basement that continually hisses when the heat is on. Anyone know what i can do to get it to stop hissing?
Thanks!
put a sock over it…..!!
Lol how about you stop being cheap and fix it. rent stabilised or not people shouldn’t have to put a sock over it.
Dean
Did you try putting a sock over it?
That’s what my rent stabilized tenants do.
If the “sock method” doesn’t work, go to a plumbing supply store and purchase and adjustable air valve. They cost about $25 and make very little noise when adjusted properly.
I’m not a plumber, just a building manager/landord who has dealt with noisy air valve complaints for over a decade.
Bruce, your post contains several questionable statements. Please hold off on that quiz.
Dean,
The vents will make noise in nearly all cases. They tend to make more noise in the presence of higher pressure. If it bothers you, you may consider replacing your current pressure regulating device with a more sensitive device which allows the boiler to run on ounces of pressure rather than pounds.
Me:
http://www.GatewayPlumbing.com
These valves are properly called air elimination valves.
The reason you have one at the top of the riser is in order that steam from the boiler have the easiest path to your location. Closer locations to the boiler should have more restricted air eliminators, to make it be harder for the steam to expand there.
Your main concern should be the valves proper functioning, so that your area is adequately heated. If operating correctly, the valve may sigh, meaning it is allowing air in the steam riser to escape, lessening the work the steam must do to travel up to your distant location. Once steam hits the eliminator valve, the valve should plink shut, until the next cool off, condense, make steam, eliminate air cycle repeats again. If the tstat is still calling for heat, the boiler will make yet another batch of steam.
Folks, you have to understand that the running of a steam boiler is controlled by low and high pressure cutoff controls. It is somewhat of a misnomer saying high, because in most of your buildings the boiler should make no more than 1-2 PSI. This is why it is important to only utilize digital tstats rated for steam. Old style round mechanicals are OK, they are too dumb to get things wrong. Many modern Tstats intentionaly cycle the heating system, which you don’t want on a steam system. The lo and hi controls will do all the cycling. Forget high pressure steam. That’s why we need a clever arrangement of air eliminators.
Got That? there will be a quiz next period.
Bruce
MasterP, I have a steam valve in my apartment.
i’m on the top floor and furthest from the boiler so I assumed thats why it was located there.
mine doesn’t make a loud hiss but just slight, but because it’s right next to m lunge where i watch tv….loud enough.
are they meant to make no noise at all?
Cheers,
Dean
If it’s always hissing when the heat is on, it is an air vent and you need to replace it with one that works.
A well-functioning air vent turns off when steam reaches it and it heats up.
It’s doing what it’s supposed to do, eliminate air. You can change the valve for one with a bigger opening to reduce the hissing. Also, your steam pressure may be set too high, it should be quite low (1 psi or so).
Is it a valve or an AIR valve ? if its an air valve then its releasing air which is whats it supose to do