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It maybe related to my water pressure problem from my other thread. The heat that is coming out of the radiator is not strong enough. We have the thermostats set to mid 70's degree and when the handyman was here he said it didn't feel like 70's. It is taking very long time for the heat to come on. It is a 4 yrs old building and the heating system is new, based on water steam instead old radiator (not sure sure what old radiator use...but I know it isn't steam cuz my nose feel dry all the time from it and nosebleed and sh*t). All the neighbors heating system are fine and each have separate boiler located on the top floor. Any1 know what the problem maybe and how to fix it? Thx in advance.
I assume you are describing a forced hot water system. One where you have a supply pipe, return pipe and some type of radiator. You can have a steam system with a radiator. That may also have two pipes or only one big pipe. The radiator will have a vent installed if it is a steam system, usually a chrome looking thing like a small cylinder, will go hiss when the heat comes on.
First thing to check is that the radiator is properly vented. It will have some type of screw affair to allow the air to be vented out of the system and the radiators / piping to be completely filled with water. Normally a forced hot water system is vented once a year minimum, sort of the preventive maintainance type thing.
The vent screw is normally located on the radiator up high on one end. Normally needs a special vent key, square shaped, looks like an old roller skate key. Normally is the landlords responsibility to vent the heating systems. Without a properly vented system you will have no or crap heat.
First place to start. Ensure the pump works and the system is properly vented. Some piping systems have vent plugs at the elbows. You have to know where the vent points are in any particular system.
You vent a system by inserting the key into the fitting, opening the screw a couple of turns, while holding a cup under the drain, listen for air, drain a small amount of water into the cup, say 1/2 cup to ensure the radiator is completely full of water.
If there is air in the system, we call that "Air Bound" and the pump will not deliver hot water to the radiator even if the furnance / boiler is working properly. Is a very common problem for lack of heat in a forced hot water system.
Great pix, shows the window off well. Ok, I guess we do sort of see you might have forced hot water baseboard heat. Don't know what that thing is that looks duct taped under the window.
There should be end panels on that baseboard section. Remove the end panels from the baseboard, either a lil door lifts up or the section comes off. If piping was installed correctly, there should be air vents on one of the 90 degree ells on either end of the baseboard. It will look like an elbow with a screw in the top of it, either with a square shaped or maybe flat blade screwdriver. The newer designs there is an automatic vent installed. See what is there.
Be careful not to open it too much; one turn should be plenty and leave it until you get water. Definitely do not remove the plug, you will be in big trouble. Once you get water flow, shut the vent.
Check all the other baseboard heaters and vent them, especially if more than one story house, the higher heaters are more important, air tends to collect at the highest points in the system.
Turn up the heat, let the system run and see if it restores heat. After a hour or so, revent to be sure all air was removed. you do not have to add water, as your boiler should have an auto replacement valve. A newer system should have been designed for automatic venting.
If you had large steel or cast iron radiators with your former system and you now have finned baseboard radiation [that's what the picture shows] you might have lost some square footage of radiation. Did your contractor do a heat loss calculation and size the new radiation to conform? Also, make sure the circulating pumps are running properly and the control system doesn't cycle the circulators off too soon or too often. Finned baseboard needs to have plenty of hot water almost continuously circulating - it doesn't retain, and radiate, ambient heat like big old radiators.
If you had large steel or cast iron radiators with your former system and you now have finned baseboard radiation [that's what the picture shows] you might have lost some square footage of radiation. Did your contractor do a heat loss calculation and size the new radiation to conform? Also, make sure the circulating pumps are running properly and the control system doesn't cycle the circulators off too soon or too often. Finned baseboard needs to have plenty of hot water almost continuously circulating - it doesn't retain, and radiate, ambient heat like big old radiators.
nope..never had a large steel or cast iron radiators...u maybe confused it with my paragraph. i use to live in an old building who had that...but my new building i move to...has the newer radiator system..the finned baseboard. so my question is..can u still vent it with the finned baseboard radiator or not? and howdo u make sure circulating pumps are running properly? each of the apt. in our buiding has its own boiler. there are about 10 apts. in the building.
if your renting why are you trying to solve this yourself? If your handy man can't fix it then raise some hell or have them hire a professional to check it out....
"Doesn't feel like 70º" is not a term you want to hear from someone working on your heating system.
For lack of a better explanation you'll be held responsible if you cause damage from messing with things you know nothing about. Of course that's leaving out the dangers of messing with a system you have no idea about.
Before you touch much, as the makeup valve for the boiler may be turned off and venting the air may leave the system without enough pressure. So if the landloard can't, won't, respond or is not responsible I would suggest calling a plumer. A cheap 150 probably.
Plan B, as you have a blackberry $ shold not be too much of an issue for using a plumber. Use your blackberry and take several pictures of the front of the boiler, piping near it, and electrical connections. Pay special attention to show the reading on the gauge at the boiler. With this information we may be able to remotely help you diagnose your problem. Low water pressure should not be a factor under normal circumstances.
I have a radiator in the upstairs back room that does not generate heat. The valve at the bottom gets warm (not hot) but that's about it. I bled all the radiators in the house and this radiator did drip/spew water. Any ideas?
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Duh, again you confuse us....
