Forum Heating Help: The Wall

I’m looking for advice on what radiator valve and steam trap I should install on one radiator in my house. I’m in eastern Iowa with a two‑pipe steam system, originally built as a Trane Vapor system. All of my other radiators follow the same piping layout, and I’ve attached a picture showing how they’re set up. This one radiator is the oddball — at some point it had a different valve and trap installed, and neither were working correctly. Since original Trane Vapor components aren’t available anymore, I need modern parts that will behave correctly in a low‑pressure vapor system. Thanks!

Hello, I have already had to fire up my boiler because temps have already been dipping into the low 40s in my area of Michigan and I’m not one of those people that fight turning my heating on lol. I like comfort and hate a chilly house. In total, I have 11 CI radiators and 1 fin tube baseboard (2200 sq ft two-story colonial, built 1909). My system is 100% gravity, connected to my 1937 Ideal Boiler No. 7, I even have a Honeywell Heat generator connected to my system and attic expansion tank. (You can look through my old posts to see more on my well preserved system). One thing that has always made me curious is why my small front vestibule radiator has two valves on it? This radiator, along with my dining room radiator, both branch off of the same supply and return lines in the basement. Another weird one for everyone, four of my CI rads on the first floor have no valves at all. They are just always “on” piped into the system. Have you any of you seen a radiator system setup like that with no valves on some of the radiators? And no, there are no valves in the basement to these radiators. Just your standard supply and returns lines to and from the boiler . I am having zero issues with my system and everything works beautifully. This is merely just my curiosity and wanting to ask pros who have worked on 1000s of residential systems over the years. Thank you! Dining room rad, no valve. One of my under the window Living room rads, no valve. Kitchen Rad, no valve. The Green Beast r

Looking for opinions, experiences, or a guide for best standard practice. Is it safe to use a submersible pump in a pond or lake for irrigation?

We believe we have a 1980s Williams propane wall heater. Three years ago we bought the house and turn it on for the first time.It worked fine but we haven’t use it since. Now we want to operate it. When pushing the pilot button to ignite it. It will light but won’t stay lit unless we hold the pilot button. As soon as the button is released to flame goes out. We changed the thermocouple and checked all lines for leaks. (Disregard the putty on the lines, leak has been fixed since that picture.)Also I should mention, due to the age of the house when we first bought it we had to fully update the electrical work. So there is a new Honeywell heat only CT30 thermostat. When we change the temperature on the thermostat the gas valve response to the correct heat. I really want to get this to work without buy a complete new unit.

Someone thought it funny to disconnect the wires on my furnace. Can't afford a tech, so hoping for guidance here. Thank you in advance for any help.

Someone installed this unit as a replacement last winter. The customer says it banged all winter. I tried to get it to water hammer a few days ago and got nothing. Maybe it's not cold enough. I ran it through 2 cycles and it was as quiet as a church mouse. Anyone have any ideas?

In my vapor vacuum steam heat system, I have "pseudo packless" valves on my radiators (the kind with a thick internal spring); I've tried different packing material and solutions, but they don't last. The last attempt was with graphite braided teflon string/rope plus vacuum grease. This worked (a few weeks) with the loss of 1"Hg per ~2 hrs, but the faded to 1 hr or much less. I haven't tried graphite crinkle tape. Does anyone have experience or knowledge of its effectiveness in this application? Is it better to use the type with or without adhesive? Thanks.

IMG_3881.jpeg where should cold water feed be tied into boiler and recirc line- this is existing system how water backing up into cold feed

it is off a steam radiator. Boilers are running about 6psi. This crystal like substance is all over steam and condensate pipes everywhere. Any help? Thanks

I am trying to install a hydronic system on a single story 1100 sqft ranch style house. I have a heatmaster MF5000 outside stove and old cast iron radiators of varying sizes that are likely overkill (but what I could find used). I need to install 6 radiators that I would like to have set up on 2 zones or have individual valves on each radiator (preferably). Currently have a single circulator pump mounted on the stove but willing to change that. Thanks

I know that EK wants all liner joints sealed (I'm not sure how critical this is), and though the installer I'm speaking to doesn't normally do that it appears to be an option. I see three joints: where the horizontal snout meets the vertical tee, where the tee meets the (20' 1-piece) flexible liner, and where the cap goes on the drop leg. I was told that the tee that he uses is male at the top and inserts inside the liner: every tee I've seen had a female connector at top, which would seem to validate the need for a sealant. Are there tees that are male on top, and even if so, is sealant required? I was also told that the drop-leg is only about 1 1/2" long and his intention is to leave the cleanout area below the tee sealed and we simply won't use it. If I'm correct, when cleaning the liner you would always disconnect the appliance and it's being suggested that one could vacuum out the tee and the drop leg through the snout: is this reasonable? Is it still reasonable if the drop-leg is 4-6" which they normally appear to be? If so, would one seal the cap in place? If this is not the way to do it, I assume you'd need to extend the drop-leg down into the chamber and then cap it, and you'd have to remove/replace the silicone every time you get the liner cleaned? Lastly, for the EK1, how far out from the wall should the horizontal snout come? Sorry if I'm putting too much thought into this, and thanks for your help.

Hi I need to find the year manufacture of this boiler made by Crane boiler. Model 100W120PE Serial W-0692. Do all hot water boilers need a low water cut off and air scoop and flow switch. Tbis boiler is missing a low water cut off. It has ran close to 40 to 50 years. Who do I contact for any tech support. I know it is old and might need to compare to another make of boiler for setup.