air valve question
#1
11-04-08, 12:39 AM
air valve question
i have 7 radiators with different air valves on them, some round and some ovel shaped, my question is all my radiators are different sizes so how do i know what air valves go on which ones. i heard that it matters if the wrong valve is on the wrong size radiator, is this true? also i have baseboard heat in my basement and it only works if i drain the pipe, than it heats up and after 20min or so i loose all heat again. i had a few guys look at it and no1 knows why this happens...
#2
11-04-08, 04:48 AM
Air Valves
These radiators are steam, are they not?
Most air valves today are adjustable. As a rule of thumb, you want the rads closest to the boiler to vent more slowly than the ones farther away. It usually takes some experimentation to get them right.
With the baseboard, I presume it is hot water. The primary reason for getting heat when the line is purged but not after is there is an air blockage.
Most air valves today are adjustable. As a rule of thumb, you want the rads closest to the boiler to vent more slowly than the ones farther away. It usually takes some experimentation to get them right.
With the baseboard, I presume it is hot water. The primary reason for getting heat when the line is purged but not after is there is an air blockage.
#4
11-04-08, 02:20 PM
Since you are talking about radiator vents I must assume you have a one pipe steam system. One pipe to the radiators. The adjustable vents are OK for all the rads. Any radiator over about 30 sq ft should actually have two vents but..... Venting radiators is a way of balancing the system. Geography has nothing to do with venting rads or balancing. It is done on the size of the radiator.
The smallest radiators are vented the slowest and the largest radiators are vented the fastest. For proper balancing and radiator operation along with fuel savings, the system requires a good fast main line steam vent(s). The idea is to get steam to the end of the main quickly and than the radiator vents need to vent the radiators and vertical piping. Now the idea of venting according to the size of the radiator may make more sense. The radiator vent should not be depended on to vent the radiator, vertical piping and the main.
Also make sue all the main piping in the basement is insulated.
The smallest radiators are vented the slowest and the largest radiators are vented the fastest. For proper balancing and radiator operation along with fuel savings, the system requires a good fast main line steam vent(s). The idea is to get steam to the end of the main quickly and than the radiator vents need to vent the radiators and vertical piping. Now the idea of venting according to the size of the radiator may make more sense. The radiator vent should not be depended on to vent the radiator, vertical piping and the main.
Also make sue all the main piping in the basement is insulated.
