One of the radiators in my home doesn't seem to be putting out much heat. It has one of those self-bleeding valves on them, and while the others give regular loud 'hisses', this one gives a half-hearted whistle every now and then.
I thought maybe cleaning/replacing this valve could solve the problem? Is there any way to do this easily (without emptying the system). Oh, and yes, both valves are all the way open.
Thanks,
-Mike
You can clean it by boiling it in vinegar, but that may not work.
If they don't work correctly, I replace them.
But if I remove it, won't the contents of the radiator empty out on my floor?
Fogive me, but I'm a bit of a newbie and we always used to have the old fashioned kind with a key you used to bleed them.
Greetings,
Although there are a couple of ways to replace the valve without emptying the system, you might be SOL on changing the valve without emptying the system.
a) If the radiator is on the top floor, at the highest elevation, you can close the water inlet valve and bleed the system until the expansion tank is empty. You should then be able to replace the valve without getting too much water everywhere. b) You MIGHT be able to close valves to and from the radiator -- IFF both exist. Sometimes there are valves which allow a heating zone to be isolated. Sometimes two radiators are placed in series and both have a single shutoff valve.
Hope this helps, William
Greetings,
a) Water will continue to drain until the system is no longer under pressure. b) Then everything at an elevation ABOVE the hole will drain. c) If your system automatically adds water once the pressure falls below X psi the system will continue to drain forever.
Hope this helps, William
Well, I've only seen bleeders as you've described on steam systems.
Do you know what kind of system you have?
Greetings,
They have key bleeders on water systems as well.
Hope this helps, William
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