Loud rattling in the radiator
I’ve posted on here before with wonderful results so I’m back again for some heating help. I have a rattling radiator that is consistently loud for 20 minutes to an hour at a time. The air vent has been replaced, the radiator is pitched back towards the pipe, and there isn’t a shut-off valve to…
I’ve posted on here before with wonderful results so I’m back again for some heating help.
I have a rattling radiator that is consistently loud for 20 minutes to an hour at a time. The air vent has been replaced, the radiator is pitched back towards the pipe, and there isn’t a shut-off valve to open. It started 2 weeks ago after 3 months of quiet heating.
Here’s a link to a video of the sound: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DtU2gqoZW9w
Does anyone have any insight as to what this is? Is it just air trapped in the pipes? How can this be fixed? The radiator does not have a bleed valve.
Thanks for your help.
I agree with others that it sounds like its coming from somewhere else. Check with your neighbors and see if one of them has a blown-out air vent (never closes). I’ve heard similar noises in that situation.
Basically, the vent sticks open and there’s lots of condensate forming. The condensate and the steam are fighting to go in different directions through the same pipe. Higher pressure will tend to add more resistance for the condensate to work against…making the problem worse.
that noise would drive me nuts….
the design of the union connection, right after the pipe and elbow come out of the floor, will not allow all the water to drain back to the boiler.
technically the risers should be insulated but it is not neccessary. of more importance are the pipes in the basement, those should be. the vent on your radiator ideally should be in the middle of the radiator not on top, but that should not crate the noise you are hearing. although when you put all the issues together, along with the increased preassure, maybe. obviously the time line of when the LL increased the preassure coincides with the noise.
have you brought it up to him?
After doing research and discussing on this board, the conclusion I’m coming to seems to be a mixture of too much steam pressure (having been increased about 2 weeks ago) with non insulated risers. It just so happens that the point where the cold water is dripping and meeting the hot steam is at the junction where my radiator is connected. Other opinions?
seems like the vent did not close tightly enough. it could very well be something other than the radiator. its hard to tell not actually being there. noise travels very well in the pipes. it’s most likely not the riser itself, but could be the radiator below your apt or in the pipes from the riser to the radiator. i will check out the video tomorrow when im in my office.
I tried the experiment this morning and it did not work. I turned the air valve upside down and the radiator still proceeded to get warm…but not hot. The noise came back like before.
Here’s a link to a new video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V0i5_ggaTHs
Is it possible that it’s not the radiator at all but the riser? I can’t tell because they are so close together.
Thanks.
I will try this tomorrow as I do not want to mess with the heat overnight. (good suggestion) Thanks again everyone. I’ll let you know what happens.
here is a basic idea of how steam works. normally the pipes & radiators are filled with air. boiler goes on and heats the water which then turns to steam. as steam rises it pushes the air up and out. the only way the air is getting out is thru those vents, that’s why they are so very important. once steam hits the vents, the vents will close. if the air does not come out of the pipes and radiators, you will never ever have heat no matter how high the preassure is set on the boiler. it’s just a simple law of physics.(that’s why i recommended a bigger sized vent for the fourth floor apt, it will push the air out quicker = the steam will rise faster). so if you were to turn the vent upside down, a little ‘thingy’ inside of it should cover the air-hole and not allow any air to come out or water for that matter. sometimes the vents amy be old and not functioning properly so you still might get heat, you will be able to tell if that is so and just turn it back around.
turning the valve upside down should simply close the valve, the same as if you were to plug it. Should be no water or steam at all. You could also push a toothpick into the hole, that would definitely slow the air escaping if not completely close it if you feel a little worried about screwing around with the heat on a Saturday night.
This sounds like an interesting experiment to try. I have two questions regarding this:
1) If I turn the air valve upside down, am I likely to get a stream of water coming out?
2) Such a simple thing as turning an air valve upside down should keep a whole radiator from getting hot?
Thanks.