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Top floor heating issues. Steam heat system.

4K views 4 replies 3 participants last post by  beenthere 
#1 ·
3-story building. 1 thermostat only, on the first floor. Steam heat system. New boiler January 2005. This problem started this season. If I leave the themostat at 68 or 69, the third floor gets no heat. Have to turn up the thermostat to 77 for the third floor to get some heat from their radiators! The 2nd floor and 1st floors are then extremely hot.

1 week ago, in order to try to solve the problem, all radiators on all three stories were removed and had the water (if any) removed from them. The knobs that control the amount the radiators are open/closed were all then turned to the 100% on position, and removed so that people can't mess around with them. This did not help.

My boiler is at like 10 PSI when heating ! Thats so high - I've read it should be like 1 PSI or so.

Waiting for a repairperson/contractor to come but looking for clues as to figure out what could be the issue.
 
#2 ·
A low pressure steam boiler can run up to 14 psi so 10 # is not a problem. 1 # will be useless. The radiators should have condensate traps which may be sticking and need servicing. Also some steam systems can get airlocked especially at the higher levels. The main steam line should have a thermostatically operated air vent for that and maybe it is stuck closed with chemical buildup. If it is a 1 pipe steam system then the rads need to be sloped slightly towards the steam line where it enters the rad or they get water logged. Shim them up with a quarter (no joke).
 
#3 ·
Is it a single pipe or 2 pipe system.
Do the rads have air vents on them.
Do you have traps at the rads. Or just in the return pipes.
How many main line vents are there.
 
#4 ·
No idea about the pipe system, but I believe it is a 1 pipe system simply because there is only 1 pipe that I can see that goes to each radiator. But not sure. There are multiple 'risers' on each floor - 3 per floor. I believe that is what they are called. Yes, the radiators have air vents on them, and last week I put type "D" radiator vents on the top floor radiators as I was advised.

I've no idea about traps at the radiators.

Unsure how many main line vents there are, and even where they are.

I've called contractors, but none show up!
 
#5 ·
A 1 pipe system doesn't use traps at the rads.

I'm familar with types A, B, and C.
Just can't think of what a D is.

Are the vents adjustable, or fixed.

On a 3 story building, all rad vents should be adjustable.

Is your new boiler, bigger, smaller, or the same size as the old boiler.

Keep in mind, that the rad vents will automatically close at 3PSIG pressure. Weather or not there is air in the vent.

If the system pressure is exceeding 3PSIG before steam gets to the vents, then setting the boiler to 10 PSIG is causing you more trouble then it is doing good. And doing the opposite of what you want to happen.
 
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