Random, I know. Anyway, our place is heated by an old one-pipe radiant hot water system. Two of our radiators (the one in the bedroom and the one in the living room) are acting up. It woke me up.
They're hissing really loudly (more so than usual) and there's water spitting from the steam vent. The hissing and tapping noise in the radiator I can deal with (I can sleep through that). It's the water spitting that creates a noise that makes my brain panic and I wake up.
That, and random water coming out of a vent is never good for the floor/wall/whatever is around it.
So on the off-chance that anyone here knows anything...
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
I know that they work with hot water running through the pipes to heat up the home...
Yeah, not really. Um, nope. Sorry.
Hey, wait a sec, what about Nathan? Why isn't he doing something? Or is he one of those people who can sleep through everything?
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
He's one of those people. He was still up when it started happening, though.
We did get the hissing and spitting to stop by closing the valve at the bottom of the radiator. Of course, this makes the radiator not radiate heat. >_<
I think I'm tired enough to fall back asleep now.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Lots of blankets...
Good luck.
Fahim's one of those people, too. Damn him.
Posted by Artemisia Tridentata (Member # 8746) on :
Your system sounds like one where the steam and the condensate both flow in the same pipe. That was the way to do it in 1929. the pressure relief valve (it looks like a little silver bullet mounted on the side of the radiator) can plug and stick open. That is probably where your hissing and water are comming from. They are inexpensive and replaceable. The banging is a "steam hammer" it is caused by a filter trap being plugged. You will have to have someone come and clean out the filter trap, unless you have plumber/pipefitter skills. Those systems work well but they do require maintanence at least annually.
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
Do NOT work on a steam system unless you are a professional. Steam is a LOT hotter than boiling water in terms of heat-storage and heat-transfer capability. eg At sea level, it takes 100calories per gram to take water from freezing point to boiling point, then another 539calories per gram to convert that boiling-point water to steam. In other words... Within the exposure time that boiling-hot water will turn your surface skin red and cause an ouch, steam will give ya a third-degree burn that'll blister and cook your skin off.
[ December 31, 2005, 03:51 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
You know what Nathans solution was? Lets put a bowl under it, turn the heat down, and go to bed.
I mean, come on, thats the standard solution to a leak- put a bowl under it and walk away.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
I'm surprised you didn't kick it first.
Posted by T_Smith (Member # 3734) on :
Its behind the TV.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
It IS cast iron.
Posted by aretee (Member # 1743) on :
I had steam radiators in one of my apartments and they never worked. My landlord alway had to come over and do something funky to the escape valve and it didn't last too long. When I lived in Greece they never worked and we just used one space heater that we rolled around the apartment depending on what room we were in.
Can your landlord to any thing?
Posted by Lavalamp (Member # 4337) on :
I used to love radiators, but yes, maintenance is key. Depending on your landlord, you may never get satisfaction, unfortunately. But they should definitely try replacing the escape valve and clearing the filter.
Water leaks are expensive propositions. I have a tenant and I BEG them to always tell me if there's any kind of water leak immediately and get someone on it right away. The cost of repairing the leak doesn't change if you wait, but the cost of fixing all the water damage just continues to rise if you let it go. So...I'd definitely tell the landlord.
And you did them (and the people below you) a huge favor by putting a bowl or bucket under it.
Probably saved them hundreds of dollars in water damage to the floor and ceiling below you.
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
Aretee, oddly, my landlord is Greek.
I'll talk to him about it on Monday. Right now, we've got those two radiators shut off (there are two others in the apartment), the heat at a decent level, and no problems). Not a whole lot of water leaked out, there was more noise than anything.
And the vent was more, like...SPITTING water. It was odd.
..and scary at four in the morning.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Man, you slept till 4?
Posted by JaneX (Member # 2026) on :
The radiator in my room started spitting water at four in the morning once. It freaked me out too, but it stopped by itself after a while. *shrug*
~Jane~
Posted by mackillian (Member # 586) on :
kayla, I'm a total wuss when it comes to atypicals. seroquel knocks me right the hell out at 25mg.
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