Posted by M.Cordrey on October 14, 2001 at 05:07:15:
The majority of the radiators get little or no heat despite having
replaced the boiler with a new Weil/McClean (sp?) system. It is a
1920's three story dutch colonial with lots of storm windows from
another era. There are two pipes for every radiator. Each radiator
has an intake pipe running parallel to and leading to the top of the
radiator with a valve on the intake pipe just before it reaches the
radiator. These valves are in various states of disrepair. Many leak.
The radiators that do function well seem to hiss from this valve as if
it serves more than just an on off function. The valve turns clock and
counter clockwise and are made of a hard plastic and are shaped like a
T. The other return pipe is invariably at the base of the radiator on
the opposite end of the intake pipe. Do these radiators require yearly
maintenance? Am I supposed to drain them
in anyway? Should I just replace more of these valves?Any advise would
be greatly appreciated. Yours,M.Cordrey,