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Steam Heat still making banging noises

32K views 101 replies 10 participants last post by  redline 
#1 ·
Hi to all, and hope Mdshunk helps out as well. Well this steam heat has been a nigtmare, all piping on back of boiler has be done to specs from Burhman. Supply line 2inc, pitches away from boiler and down towards return line. All radiators and heat elements are pitch to return line, this is a one pipe system. If I drain the boiler completly out, she runs smoothly for ablout a day or two, then the banging and spitting water from the vents start. Can the boiler be bad?? Please guys help me out, I begun to hate steam heat, the heat is nice because its toasty warm, but the bangs are driving me nuts. Thanks to all. Happy New Year to all as well.
 
#85 ·
Yes Doog, pitch that return line towards the boiler. She shouldn't be level at any point, water will just sit there and that will definately cause hammering. I have been working on my boiler for the last few months, and boy am I really learning the steam heat system the hard way, working on it myself. Supply line has to pitch away from the boiler, and return towards the boiler.
 
#92 ·
Hi helplesshandyman

I am hoping by this last post that all of your problems are solved. It has been good experience for all of us I believe on this one. I am glad you hung in there and got the system going, I know you had a major expense in it. Any way just wanted to say congrats. I am getting ready to head off to my new job this weekend and I will try and stay in touch with you guys while I am in school.

Good luck
Rusty
 
#93 ·
Helpless handyman,

I just read all of the posts on this thread and I had to join just to add my two cents. Wow, you've been through it haven't you? I'm curious about a couple of things though.

You said that burnham steamer sent you the picture of his hartford loop and he noted in a post his loop's height up from the floor. Your height was too high and you had a steam guy come over and tell you that. But was the loop also piped wrong or was it just the height issue? The reason I ask is because you said that the pictures from burnham steamer was what helped you figure it out.

Also curious if you ending up using that new LWCO or is it (hopefully) still in the box?

Glad you got it solved. Not many homeowners or diy'ers would have gone as far as you without having the professional just fix it.

Mike
 
#95 ·
Redline, if you read this entire post, you will see that everything was changed, pipes, radiators. The heat contractor that I got to do the piping reassembled everything. I never saw the hartford loop on the back of the boiler before it was removed, I am not a plumber or a heating guy, I assumed he knew what the heck he was doing, he's been in the business for ten years, don't ask me how? As for the hartford loop, the entire thing was wrong! Thanks
 
#96 ·
My mistake. I was under the impression that you just added radiators (elements) and that is when the problem came about.

I was not aware that you severely altered the entire piping system.
I thought that the only problem you had was that you had to change the gas valve.

Glad that you have it operating.:thumbup:
 
#101 ·
One pipe steam speed

Just a small thought. If you have a relatively new steam boiler, there is a great chance that it delivers heat MUCH faster than the time it takes to return to the boiler. This means that if you have an automatic feeder, it will incorrectly determine that you have "low water" when in fact your boiler is awaiting the return flow. This is documented in some of the bolier litererature (e.g.,McLean & a reservoir pipe.) If this is the case, wait till the boiler shuts off and the condensed water returns, make sure the water level is near the top of the glass (no higher as the boiling may make your pipes "bang" right at the connection to the boiler.) Shut off the water feed to the autofeeder. The low water shut off will still work. Once the heating season ends, drain off the additional water down to the "normal" mark on the boiler. Remember to add it back at the start of the following heating season. (I had this problem with my own new boiler last year.)
 
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