Radiator w/o bleeder

[Sam Takoy]

Hi,

I came into possession of a radiator that doesn't have a bleeder. What the radiator basically is, is a continuous tube twisted back and forth like a snake.

Now, when I install this radiator, it'll have air trapped inside it. When I turn it on, the air will start traveling through my hot water system.

Where will it end up? Will it end up spread around other radiators that do have bleeders or there is another mechanism (e.g. at the boiler) for the excess air to escape?

Many thanks in advance,

Sam

[Ed Pawlowski]

You may have a bleeder at the boiler. It is also possible to do some manual bleeding too, at the drain valve if one is on the return line. When I had m system open, it was the same situation. I took a bucket to the valve and cracked it open so it was a very tiny steam. When the circulator pushed the air by, I could hear it and opened the valve and got most of the air out. Over a few days the bleeder took care of the rest.

[ransley]

You probably will just end up with trapped air in the radiator and no good heat. I would not want or have a radiator without an air bleeder, to much of a headache and you are now praying it might be ok someday.

[Ed Pawlowski]

From his description, it is just a serpentine coil. Air would be easily pushed through it, just as baseboard heat does.

[Stormin Mormon]

Many boilers have an air escape device on top of the boiler. Spirovent is one brand. Often they corrode, and don't work very well.

[mm]

Sweden. If it were hot air it would end up in DC.

You don't say specificially that you have hot water heat?

I guess you do.

Why not drill and thread a hole and put in a bleeder?

[Shaun Eli]

I had at least a half-dozen HVAC guys tell me that my baseboard radiators had no bleeder valves and that the only way to get air out of the system was to drain and refill it. Even did it a couple of times, with me standing there saying "But the water you're adding has air in it too. How's this gonna be any better?"

Finally one guy pointed to a tiny thing near the boiler, said "That's an automatic bleeder, oh, someone screwed it closed." He opened it a bit, after the air was bled a bit of water came out, he said "That's probably why someone closed it, I'll replace it" and now, no problems.

[mm]

They should have used airless water. You can find it at the bottom of the Atlantic. It's practically free, except for removal and shipping.

Didn't know about that. Thanks.