Contractor wants to Remove End-of-the-line Steam Riser

I have a steam riser that rises up through the floors/ceilings in the southeast corner of the house. On the top floor that riser ends close to the ceiling and is vented with a steam vent. My contractor, who is having his plumber install a radiator in this room (there is not one there currently), wants to remove the riser pipe. The riser would then just rise next to the radiator and the end of the riser would effectively be vented by the radiator vent. Is there anything wrong/less than optimal with this solution? Thanks.

SewardWasRight

in Plumbers and Plumbing 13 years and 5 months ago

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ellenlourie | 13 years and 5 months ago

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don’t forget to tell your marvellous contractor to attach radiator with 2 elbows swing, not one, or it will break in near future.

ellenlourie | 13 years and 5 months ago

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install master vent gorton #1 or #2, and leave riser as is. connect radiator to riser with it’s own vent. otherwise this radiator will be never hot. you have to vent riser quick, allow for stem reach your radiator at the same time it reaches all other radiators.

steam_man | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Ahhh. I see clearly now. So was this a bathroom before the renovation? I have seen many instances such as the one in your photo. The riser was used as a radiator in a small room such as a bathroom. It was very common. You basically had a vertical radiator!

SewardWasRight | 13 years and 5 months ago

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OK, figured it out. Here is the riser in the background (green).

http://cdn.brownstoner.com/4f1df578b3227-processed-laundry_riser.jpg

steam_man | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Not sure if this thread is still being monitored. I have a sneaking suspicion that the riser/vent you intend to remove is the end of main vent. Sometimes the risers were configued in such a way that they were vented at the top rather than at the main. You are most likely setting yourself up for uneven heating. Tread carefully and search you main for a vent at the end. Also, make sure your top floor radiator is not oversized. Good luck.

Master Plvmber | 13 years and 5 months ago

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Eh. This doesnt sound terrible to me. I’d let him do it if it helps your design.

SewardWasRight | 13 years and 5 months ago

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MP, it is a small radiator vent drilled in near the top of the riser. The contractor feels that if you shorten the riser (by about 7 feet) to the level of the radiator valve and feed that riser to the valve and right into the radiator, then you’ve done away with the need for that section of riser. I have a pic, but is there a way to post it after you’ve already started a post?

Master Plvmber | 13 years and 5 months ago

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I suspect you’re asking because you know there’s something wrong with this plan. Removing a main vent is going to impede steam travel. If the system was designed to have that vent in place, then removing it will hurt your efficiency and balance. If the vent was added later then it might not have been helping much to begin with. Is this a proper main vent or is it a small radiator vent drilled into the riser? Can you post a pic?

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