Noisy Riser
I’ve read everything posted here on noisy steam system, but I’ve not been able to correct my noisy system. I have a 4 family house with a single pipe steam system that makes this noice whenever it fires up at 5am. (listen to the noise i posted on youtube). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqMrNGug0Oo The system needs to be…
I’ve read everything posted here on noisy steam system, but I’ve not been able to correct my noisy system.
I have a 4 family house with a single pipe steam system that makes this noice whenever it fires up at 5am. (listen to the noise i posted on youtube).
The system needs to be fully heated with all radiators heated to the max. before i get the noise
More info:
-I’ve pitched all radiators to the riser.
-The gas fired boiler is about 4 years old
-I’ve never had this noise before.
-changed all valves with “D” at the rear top floors and “C” at the middle floors.
-the noise only comes from the rear (bedroom)riser/radiator
-each unit has 3 radiator, one front, one rear, one kitche an a riser in the bathroom
Has anyone been able to correct this type of problem? Would love any advise.
Just to close this out before it goes too far afield. Found the problem to be the riser air valve at the end of the riser on the top floor. Seems the inside mechanism would rattle around when the stem pressure topped out. Actually, sleep to 7am this morning. Thanks to all (esp MP and SteamMan) for the all the help!!
Gestalt boiler therapy is a phenomenological-existential therapy founded by eman1234 and masterplumber in the 2010s. It teaches boiler thecnicians and clients the phenomenological method of awareness, in which perceiving, feeling, and acting are distinguished from interpreting and reshuffling preexisting attitudes. Explanations and interpretations are considered less reliable than what is directly perceived and felt. Clients and boiler technicians in Gestalt therapy dialogue, that is, communicate their phenomenological perspectives. Differences in perspectives become the focus of experimentation and continued dialogue. The goal is for clients to become aware of what they are doing, how they are doing it, and how they can change themselves, and at the same time, to learn to accept and value themselves.
Gestalt therapy focuses more on process (what is happening) than content (what is being discussed). The emphasis is on what is being done, thought and felt at the moment rather than on what was, might be, could be, or should be.
I had to look up “gestalt therapy”, but now I know and I’m in for the class.
mp.. love the boiler draining as gestalt therapy idea …lets start a class at the learning annex
Fresh water contains a lot of oxygen which is corrosive to the ferrous metals in the boiler and piping system. When you drain water, it must be replaced. The way to get the oxygen out of the new water is simple: boil it.
So, if you want to drain and fill your boiler 3x every year, I have no idea if you’re doing it any good because there are very few boilers out there that have drain ports of the proper size installed in any helpful place, anyway. The new plumbing code addresses this. (I digress)
As long as you run the system through a few complete steam cycles right away and not let the new water sit cold, it will be less corrosive.
There’s such a long-standing mindset about draining boilers, that I don’t bother getting into specifics anymore. People like to do it and so they should. It seems to be, in some way, therapeutic.
I also heard that adding fresh water (with oxygen) corrodes the pipe faster, but I drain the boiler once a month to flush out the mineral build up anyway.
I haven’t fully drained the return yet, but would like if it helps. Anxious to hear if MR or SteamMan thinks that should be done as Marty suggests.
Thanks Marty for the suggestion. I may do it any way how much could it hurt?
Marty – I seem to remember MASTERPLVMBER advising that fresh water is bad for the boiler. Does he or Steamman want to comment?
When was the last time you drained your system?
Before each winter season — with the master switch OFF — I drain all the water from my steam heat system (a) at the burner and (b) at the return valve (lowest point in the entire system). This cleans out all the rust and dirt in the steam line). I then refill the water in the burner and repeat the process 3X. Finally, I top off the water in the burner and turn on the master switch for the system.
Try it. Can’t hurt.
Will try this. Probably will do one of these mornings on a warm day so if I run into trouble I have the full day to troubleshhot, get parts or call for help :). Will promise to be very careful. Thanks for your advise.