Possible AIR LOCK - HELP


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Old 11-17-09, 12:58 PM
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Unhappy Possible AIR LOCK - HELP

I have a baseboard heating system. 2 zones. operating temp 180. Lower zone works fines. Upper zone sometimes doesnt work and even when it works it takes a long time to heat. I opened the auto fill valve on one of the days the system did not work and got it work but accidentally increased the system pressure to 28 psi. Question, how do i lower to the pressure ? And what is the exact operating pressure ? Also how do i get rid of any air locks ?

HELP
 
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Old 11-17-09, 01:05 PM
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To lower the pressure, let the boiler cool down to room temp. Then drain water from the system until the pressure gauge indicates 12-15 psi (for a two storey house).

To bleed air, look for bleeder valves on the end of the radiators. Open them, one at a time, until water comes out.
 
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Old 11-17-09, 01:10 PM
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Thanks MIKE SPEED....will do so and let u know how it goes.....
 
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Old 11-17-09, 01:13 PM
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One more question MIKE SPEED

1. Do i bleed the system at the radiator when the pump is running ?

2. Also is the drain valve the one that is at the lowest point near the boiler ?
 
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Old 11-17-09, 01:38 PM
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Originally Posted by praskrish
1. Do i bleed the system at the radiator when the pump is running?

2. Also is the drain valve the one that is at the lowest point near the boiler?
1. There are different opinions. I would bleed once w/o the pump running. Then bleed again with the pump running.

2. Yes. It should have a hose thread like a sillcock.

How did air get into your system
 
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Old 11-17-09, 01:45 PM
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Ok will try it.... Not sure how air got into the system....Never had a problem in all these 3 yrs i have lived in that house.....the house is only 10 yrs old and so is the system....once i found the make up water valve shut ( maybe my kid accidently shut it off - not sure ).......and also after that the air relief valve was leaking and a technician changed it saying it was faulty and that problem went away.......

 
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Old 11-17-09, 02:55 PM
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No or little heat on an upper floor is an indicator that the system pressure is/was low... so when you added the pressure and got heat, it kinda confirms that.

After you let the pressure out and back to normal (and you can use any drain that's on the system by the way) keep an eye on the pressure gauge, and note what the pressure is when the boiler is cool, and again when the boiler is HOT...

Like Mike sed, never less than 12-15 PSI...
 
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Old 11-18-09, 07:18 AM
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I was able to reduce the pressure and set it for 15 psi and when the system was hot it came up to 19 psi....is this still too much - will this cause any problems and should i lower the pressure further down ? I wanted to keep the pressure slightly high as pressure might be the problem why heat didnt work in the first place ? Anyway for now things seem to be ok....

As far as the air at the radiator goes...i tried a couple of radiators and there doesnt seem to be any air.....water immediately came out with no signs of air and so i left it....maybe the system was not air bound......
 
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Old 11-18-09, 07:35 AM
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19 psi hot will be OK. Keep and eye on the pressure for the next several days and make sure it doesn't creep up.
 
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Old 11-18-09, 12:00 PM
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MIKE SPEED 30 & NJ TROOPER you both are awesome and were of a great help......Thanks again.......i will monitor and see how this goes and report if something weird happens.....

KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK
 
 

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