Guide to Steam Vents on Steam Heating Radiators & Steam Pipes

How to identify, inspect, and use steam vents as heat delivery controls and on residential steam heating systems - how to identify, service, or repair steam radiator air vents
How to regulate heat using air vents on steam radiators & troubleshooting steam heating system radiator vents & controls
How do we know if the steam vent is working on a radiator?
Questions & Answers about steam vents on steam heating radiators and convectors
References

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Steam vents on heating systems: here we provide an inspection and repair guide to the vents found on radiators and piping used with Steam Heating Systems.

Guide to Steam Vents on Residential Heating Systems

This website answers most questions about central heating systems to aid in troubleshooting, inspection, diagnosis, and repairs.

Also see RADIATOR STEAM VENTS, AUTOMATIC wHere we explain automatic steam vents and heat regulation using air vents on steam radiators. If you don't know what kind of heat your building uses, we explain how to figure out the answer at HEATING SYSTEM TYPES. If your heating system is not working properly, see NO HEAT - BOILER or NO HEAT - FURNACE.

Because some controls are used in common on hot water heat, hot air heat, and steam boilers, readers should see these other articles: If your building uses forced hot water heat see BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES. Some of those controls also appear on steam heating equipment. Also see BOILER COMPONENTS & PARTS for a detailed list of heating boiler controls, other heating system components, parts such as circulator pumps & draft regulators If your building uses warm air heat see FURNACE CONTROLS & SWITCHES. See ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT. Contact us to suggest text changes and additions and, if you wish, to receive online listing and credit for that contribution.

Our photo (above left) shows a common model of automatic air bleed valve used on residential steam heat radiators.

How Steam Vents Work on Steam Heating Systems

At the start of a heating cycle as steam rises in the building steam pipes and begins to enter the heating radiator, air in the cool radiator is pushed out through this valve.

As the radiator gets warm, then hot due to the rising steam, a mechanical thermostatically operated valve inside of the air vent, also called a steam vent, closes the vent so that steam does not continue to escape.

Diagnosing Hissing Sounds at Steam Radiators

It is normal to hear a hissing sound from the steam vent as air escapes from the radiator at the start of a heating cycle.

The hissing sound should stop and the valve close when the radiator gets hot.

Steam Vents that Do Not Shut Off When They Should

If steam continues to escape from the valve even after the radiator is hot, the valve is defective and should be replaced since continuous loss of steam increases the water consumption by the heating system.

Other causes of steam radiators to fail to get hot include a radiator valve that is shut or a steam radiator valve that has become clogged with rust and debris (more likely on a one-pipe steam heating system where returning condensate through the valve can become blocked), or a one pipe steam radiator that has become tipped the wrong way so that it becomes clogged with condensate.

Steam Vents that Do Not Open When They Should

Steam vents on individual radiators or main steam vents may not be opening when they should. If an individual steam radiator vent fails to open, that radiator won't get hot even though its supply valve is open.

But if a main steam vent (master steam vent) is not opening, the whole heating system may continue to work, but we expect to see two problems:

The steam heat rises too slowly, as the larger volume of air in the main steam riser piping is not venting from the main vent(s) - instead all of this extra volume of air has to exit through the individual radiator vents.
Individual radiator steam vents may clog and fail more quickly by having to pass more air and moisture, or because the boiler pressure is too high.

Main steam vents: Our photo (left) shows an automatic air vent found on steam piping in a basement - not all steam vents are located right on the radiators. This is a line vent or main vent, and it too needs to work.

This vent may have been added to help speed rising of steam in a building by purging air from a section of steam piping.

If no air escapes from this valve during the heating cycle it may be that the valve is jammed, is not releasing air, and the steam radiator may not ever warm up.

The valve may need to be replaced.

Noisy Steam Vents or Steam Radiators

It is normal for steam vents to make a hissing noise (also described as a whistling noise) at the start of a heating cycle while air is being vented out of the steam piping or steam radiator as it is pushed by rising steam.

Watch out: If the radiator continually makes noises (hissing, whistling or wheezing) at the steam vent, there is a problem that needs to be fixed: a bad steam vent, steam piping problem, steam pressure set too high, or boiler oversized for the heating distribution system.

First, make sure that the noise complaint is coming from the steam vent and not from water hammer or clanking steam piping.

Next: mineral deposits or dirt in a steam vent can prevent it from opening or closing properly. While it is often possible to disassemble and clean (soak in vinegar) a mineral-clogged steam vent, other internal vent failures can also occur, so considering the low cost of replacement steam vents, it usually makes sense to simply replace the steam vent entirely. At RADIATOR STEAM VENTS, AUTOMATIC we list a variety of replacement steam vents.

A rattling sound at a steam vent may be heard at any radiator or at a main steam riser where a main line vent is installed. If your steam vent is rattling an internal part has become loose. Replace the vent.

Also see these noise and sound control articles:

BANGING HEATING PIPES RADIATORS for details about heating pipe noise cause and cure.

HEATING SYSTEM NOISES - lists heating system noise types, sources, problem indicators, cures

What to Do About Steam Vents that Leak or "Spit" Water

If water is "spitting" out of your steam radiator's air vent it's most likely that debris, sediment, mineral deposits, or rust flakes have partly clogged the air vent. Steam experts such as Dan Holohan suggest that you may be able to clean a spitting or partly-clogged steam vent by disassembling and boiling the vent in vinegar (to dissolve minerals).

Watch out: don't remove a steam vent when the heating system is in use or hot. You can get badly burned. But some specialty steam vents (air valves) such as the Hoffman Model 508 (Part No. 401475) can be disassembled and cleaned without removing from the line.

If a lot of water is really leaking out of a steam radiator's steam vent, the radiator may also have become waterlogged (according to some writers). We don't think this is a common problem, since most steam vents are mounted at mid radiator height or higher - the radiator would have to be really full of condensate for a lot of water to be coming out of the steam vent - unlikely. See BANGING HEATING PIPES RADIATORS wHere we explain steam condensate return problems that can cause banging clanging pipes.

If a steam radiator contains condensate (water from condensed steam) that fills the radiator to a level above the steam vent, the steam vent cannot function, air won't be pushed out of the radiator by rising steam, and the radiator won't heat.

If your steam vent is mostly venting steam but spits a few drops of water, the vent may not be working properly and may need replacement, but it is not as likely to be a sign that the steam system has become waterlogged.

Watch out: as we discuss at BANGING HEATING PIPES RADIATORS, if your heating boiler does not have an automatic water feeder and you've been putting makeup water into the boiler manually, a blocked condensate line and low water in the boiler will eventually lead to total loss of heat when the low water cutoff switch (see LOW WATER CUTOFF CONTROLS) , a key boiler safety device, simply shuts down the boiler.

Watch out: are you sure your system is using steam heat? Hot water radiators often include a manual air-bleeder valve that must be opened to let air out of the hot water (not steam) radiator or the radiator won't heat. On a hot water (hydronic) heating system if you leave the air bleeder valve open after air has stopped coming out, indeed water will come squirting out of the valve - indefinitely. Don't do this. See Air Bleeder Valves for details.

Automatic and thermostatically operated steam vents used to provide room temperature control are discussed in detail also at RADIATOR VALVES & HEAT CONTROLS.

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Technical Reviewers & References

Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.

Barnes & Jones Corporation, 91 Pacella Park Drive Randolph, MA 02368, Tel: 781-963-8000calibrated steam traps and vents, Email: bnesbitt@barnesandjones.com. Vent-Rite steam vents for radiator control.
Energy Savers: Heat Distribution Systems, Steam Radiators & Hot Water Radiators, U.S. Department of Energy, web search 12/27/2010, original source: http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home
/space_heating_cooling/index.cfm/mytopic=12580
Gorton Heating Corporation, 546 South Avenue East, Cranford, New Jersey 07016, Tel: 908-276-1323, email: info@gorton-valves.com, fast venting valves for steam heating systems.
"Rv-4 One-Pipe Steam Radiator Valve", available from Armstrong International, 816 Maple Street, Three Rivers, MI 49093 USA, Tel: (269) 273-1415, Armstrong has offices in Beijing, China, Belgium, India and Mexico. Web search 12/27/2010, original source:
http://www.armstronginternational.com/thermostatic-valves-rv-4-one-pipe.
"Special Steam Vents", Hoffman Specialty heating products, web search 12/27/2010, original source:
http://www.hoffmanspecialty.com/pdf/hs900/HS900-3474.pdf
"Steam and Water Vents, Selection Guidelines - Steam Vents", Hoffman Specialty, web search 12/27/2010, original source:
http://www.hoffmanspecialty.com/pdf/hs900/HS900-stvents.pdf
Hoffman 1A adjustable steam vents, available from Hoffman Specialty, ITT, web search 12/27/2010, original source:
http://www.drillspot.com/products/51570/Hoffman_1A_Adjustable_Automatic_Air_Vent_For_Steam_Radiators
Hoffman Convector Steam Vents, available from Hoffman Specialty, ITT, web search 12/28/2010, original source:
http://www.hoffmanspecialty.com/pdf/hs900/HS900-conv109.pdf
Report 95-14, PB96-198163 Thermostatic Radiator Valve (TRV) Demonstration Project, contact NYSERDA. 17 Columbia Circle, Albany, NY 12203-6399 Toll-Free: 1-866-NYSERDA, Tel:(518)465-6252, Ext. 241. Web Search 12/27/2010, original source: http://www.homeenergy.org/archive/hem.dis.anl.gov/eehem/96/960509.html
VariValve® Quick-Vent from Heat Timer, adjustable radiator and main line vent valves for one pipe steam systems, web search 12/27/2010, original source: http://www.heat-timer.com/enFiles/ProductDocument/literature/VariV056082C.pdf
"Care & Feeding of Air Vents", Dan Holohan, Old House Journal Online, November 2004
Steam Boiler Inspection, Diagnosis, Repair books at the InspectAPedia bookstore - Amazon.com
The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update, (see next item in this list). ITT Fluid Technology, 1133 Westchester Avenue
White Plains, NY 10604, tel +1 914 304 1700 fax +1 914 696 2950 www.ittfluidbusiness.com
Principles of Steam Heating, $13.25 includes postage. Fuel oil & Oil Heat Magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004.
The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
"Residential Steam Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
The Heat Efficiency of Steam Boilers, Bryan Donkin
Steam Boiler Operation, Principles & Practice, James J. Jackson
Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
Principles of Steam Heating, $13.25 includes postage. Fuel oil & Oil Heat Magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004.
The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
"Residential Steam Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
"Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
"Warm Air Heating Systems". Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
Installation Guide for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems
Installation Guide #200, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

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Building inspection education & report writing systems from Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd

Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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