Steam Boiler Leaking Main Vent

On a Heat service call, I am told the steam boiler seems to go through the water faster, than usual. Therefore I test the boiler out. I check all piping for signs of leaks. I find the main air vent leaking.

[@airmech5083]

I love that big boiler drain♥️

[@davidlampe4153]

Uninsulated steam mains and no maintenance recipe for high fuel bills copper above the water line done by others and no drop header. Have a nice trip? See you next fall!

[@320ceman]

Copper piping , no swing joints or proper header , major problems

[@tucobenedicto109]

You removed the tripping hazzard and took it with you cool. Nice job.

[@thehvachacker]

Yes now anyone looking for leaks should’ve trip over that hidden treasure.

[@hvac01453]

The HVAC Hacker OMG, that’s one hell of a tip she gave you!

[@austinjay5915]

Working on a steam boiler really could use advice from the hacker

[@thehvachacker]

What’s going on with the steam boiler

[@medicalnegligence]

Nice vid. Can’t undo my two main vents that are both hissing. They appear to be the original vents from the early 1940’s and seem fused to the iron reducing bushing. Trying to avoid cracking old steam pipes.

[@mugen-mundo]

I removed mine with 3 foot pipe wrench with a cheater attached to the end. It's all about rotational Force.

[@kamechanicalhvac2891]

Great video pal .. What's type of bleeder valve was that

[@thehvachacker]

That's a main steam vent to release air from the return lines. The supply vents are located at the radiators. They are temperature activated. They close when hot enough not to allow steam out. And open when cools down to allow air out until the heat of steam hits the valve.

[@joseflores289]

Be careful my man alright

[@thehvachacker]

That fall hurt, yet the pipe vise tripod I fell was tipped to me on this job. Been using it a lot

[@ryanmulvany2803]

We replaced our main air vent 3-5 years ago and it appears to have gone bad again. It is a Hoffman 75 vent. What could be causing it to go back so quickly?

[@mark33545]

I’m always worried to use stuff like penetrating oil and wd-40 when working on my steam system because I am paranoid about what it have read about how bad oils getting in the system is. Is it typically safe to use it to free stuck fittings in the steam system? When I saw you use it here I realized maybe I was being overly paranoid

[@thehvachacker]

When a boiler is new there is oil inside from all the threaded pipes. When threading pipe oil is constantly applied not to burn the teeth on threader. That oil gets into the boiler. Which is why a new boiler always needs to get skimmed after running for a few days. A little penetrant or wd-40 won’t do anything. You can tell by the water surging if oil is present in the boiler, then just open up the fitting on the upper side of boiler. When my company installs a boiler we use t’s with a plug on side, on the supply where it leaves the boiler. This allows for skimming to remove the oils, it’s very uncommon to have to skim a boiler that’s been operating for some time. Unless the water is jumping around inside the sight glass

[@edjovi3677]

hello bill its eddie from leak master plumbing great too see u again that was like mud !!!!! great job as allways hope all is great with wife and kid !!!! talk soon ed bonjovi

[@thehvachacker]

I ended up in hospital from getting really sick Saturday morning. Most likely lack of sleep and non stop work between job and trying to get house ready to move in. Now wife has me trapped at home not allowing me to go paint even though hospital released me yet said to stay home and rest. I'm not use to laying around doing nothing. Hopefully I get energy to get another video ready to upload.

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

That's interesting! We generally don't have steam heat in the area where I live so no experience with it. The water in there looked pretty dark. I assume that constant leaking and replenishment with tap water just builds up more and more solids? Congrats on the gift as well!

[@thehvachacker]

The darkness of the water is iron from the inside of pipes and radiators slowly rusting. Which is why flushing and maintenance is critical on these boilers. I like working on steam boilers it’s what I grew up with heating my home.

[@mark33545]

The HVAC Hacker flushing how? I was told dumping the guck out of the bottom did nothing (which I thought was odd) and just increased the chances of needing the replace the valve. I wanted to try to do a skim myself in the spring (in case something goes wrong lol) but I was interested in a blow down, there is no king valve on the manifold header does that mean its never been done? There is a union there though. That is something I dont think I can handle myself but it is it needed? 1991 Weil McClain eg-40

[@davida1hiwaaynet]

@@thehvachacker Thanks for the reply. Yep it's interesting how we're all fond of what we grew up around!

[@IslandbreezeMechanical]

Another one piped in copper. Wrong.

[@thehvachacker]

Yes its not the best yet I run into copper piped steam boilers often. I did it once yet all my boilers I pipe in black pipe. Always end up with small leaks on most copper solder joints over time.

[@jeffreyjohn2037]

You never took the wire nut off of the thermostat wires. What was the temperature in the house when they called you back?

[@thehvachacker]

I removed wire nut when I finished this job. Every steam boiler I work on I jump this way. Prevents homeowner from shutting down system of thermostat reaching temp while I test the pressuretroll

[@mark33545]

My main vent on my single pipe steam is at the top of the Hartford loop drop pipe, only about 1in nipple. I read this is bad. Should I get a longer nipple like 6 inches? Anything I can do to deal with it not being 15 inches back as well?

[@thehvachacker]

Does it operate correctly. I seen many vents on a 1” nipple or just threaded into the t. What have you heard that would make the location of the vent wrong? I see many boilers with the vent directly over where the return pipe drops back into the Hartford loop. Do you get a lot of banging and clanking?

[@mark33545]

The HVAC Hacker it was in a Weil McLain training video (part 2 I think) that someone uploaded to KZbin. The Weil McLain guy says its important to have the main vent 6 inches up and 15 inches back for proper operation. That being said, I don’t think its an issue from what I can tell, i don’t see condensate coming from the vent. However after my system would run for a while, a radiator (top floor, furthest from the boiler/main vent btw) would make a loud noise kind of like it was leaking steam but instead it was sucking air in very loudly (its a Groton). I was told on heating help this could indicate a bad main vent or insufficient main vent or improperly installed. So i checked and sure enough on the loop that the radiator is on that vent was not getting hot like the other one. It would only get hot if the system ran for a long time so i think it was stuck closed. I replaced the vent and now they both get hot around the same time, its been too warm to run the system long to see if the loud air noise is gone now from the far radiator. If the sound continues i was going to put a t and 2 90s and make a little manifold to put 2 of the Groton #1 vents on to see if increasing the main venting solves it. The main issue with my system was inconsistent heating but i found tons of leaks in the system and it was never building up any pressure. I have been fixing the leaks, i repacked a couple valves and replaced almost all of the air vents with vari-vents (keep hearing mixed feelings on these vents). Its getting definitely improving with all my work but i think it can still get better.

[@More350Power]

I didnt think copper could be used for a steam system?

[@thehvachacker]

It's not the best and solder joints seem to leak though often. Also seal themselves up at times. why all the green deposit on the hartford loop before boiler.Steel is the better choice

[@acechoice45]

Wow they piped that header in copper oh boy. Equalizer line, some return piping and Hartford loop is ok in copper i wouldn't use it for the header!

[@thehvachacker]

Yea not the best way to pipe a header. I think steel should be used for most steam piping.

[@jeffreyjohn2037]

I would never use copper on a supply header. Regardless, when I solder fittings, they are flawless. That boiler was hacked in by a hacker.

[@damionfragoso2655]

Have they never purged that boiler before 🤨

[@nsaglian]

Are automated bottom boiler blow down systems available for residential boilers?

[@thehvachacker]

Never seen a residential application with an auto blow down. Yet wouldn’t be a bad idea for some of my older customers who can’t lift buckets of water

[@throttlebottle5906]

question is, where you you have it dump too? floor drain? sump pit? the yard outside assuming 1st floor boiler or walkout basement. all I see is clogged drain/sump, frozen outdoor end or a basement without sump/drain and it wont run uphill :)

[@royamberg9177]

Nothing like showing off a new pipe wrench

[@thehvachacker]

I bought that for moms water heater yet this wrench has gotten quite a bit of work already. My older 2 foot pipe wrenches teeth were stripped down a lot. Strange usually I don't buy new ridged wrenches since most second hand Ridged tools/ wrenches are just as good as a new one.

[@hvac01453]

The HVAC Hacker I noticed he rewarded himself with that new wrench too!😃

[@Ted_E_Bear]

The great Hacker is the man, he is so smart. The President needs the Brilliant Hacker on his defense team !!!

[@thehvachacker]

I would never know the laws that even a non-trump supporter yet bi partisan Dershowitz pointed out to show how corrupt this impeachment is. By only pointing out the laws and what's actually in the constitution. Or use the bombshell Pam Bombi used to put all of Biden's crimes in front of congress and anyone watching this impeachment. Yet the GOP still is trying to protect their front runner yet need a better candidate or should just recuse the election. If this was sports the Dems would lose their draft pick yet we need a fair election allowing the people to choose our president, not congress.

[@Ted_E_Bear]

Thanks you for your great wisdom showing through once again, what a genius you are !!

[@hvac01453]

@@thehvachacker years ago only congress voted for the president. They felt the people were too ignorant /uneducated, to elect the president.

[@jeffreyjohn2037]

@@Ted_E_Bear he's a stable hacker

[@frmerrin2]

Someone seriously hacked that boiler install.

[@thehvachacker]

Yes they did

[@jeffreyjohn2037]

Then the hacker was called

[@cyabits1]

What would cause a steam boiler to shot out water on the radiators air vent?

[@mugen-mundo]

Condensate not leaving the radiator. For example the pitch is wrong on the radiator or the vent itself is faulty not closing when steam reaches it.

[@thehvachacker]

Water is trapped in the radiator. Or the vent is not working correctly. The radiator should have a slight pitch down to where pipe attaches for drainage. Does the vent close? Or hisses none stop?

[@cyabits1]

@@thehvachacker hisses none stop

[@thehvachacker]

@@cyabits1 bad vent

[@user-rf4ps5co8r]

Did you get it up to steam pressure and check that black pigtail Probably plugged

[@robpowell7599]

Thats awsomen good stuff still happens to good peoplen

[@thehvachacker]

I could of edited the tumble, yet the tumble was how I found the old pipe vise just collecting dust in this basement. Which was a tip for fixing the boiler. Yet the fall dazed me for a few seconds.

[@robpowell7599]

@@thehvachacker only makes you human

[@robertmacdonald8447]

A bit of pipe insulation would certainly save them a bit of money, but dude, don't be poking old insulation like that without a mask.

[@throttlebottle5906]

steam stain on the ceiling told a story :)

[@thehvachacker]

Yes but this house has had a steam boiler here since late 1800’s. I’m sure many vents have leaked. If you have time check out my other channel Bills Tools that’s where my garage Reno is being done and other not hvac related projects

[@throttlebottle5906]

the light orange stain was perfectly in line with the old vent hole and very doubtful they'd replace it and get it lined back up exactly. I tend to notice things like that from tracking piping and roof leaks over the years :)

[@throttlebottle5906]

mmm, bucket of hot chocolate :))

[@thehvachacker]

Gotta love extra iron in the water

[@muxxor9492]

Old vent looks like a cheap China air vent. I like Gorton #1 Main Vent or Hoffman #75 Main Vent, But I prefer the Gorton seem more reliable.

[@thehvachacker]

It's an old Doyle #1a vent. I believe it was before they started making Doyle vents in China. I use to like those vents before they became Chinese made.

[@jeffreyjohn2037]

Are the Gorton brand made in Glauster?

[@familyrcvideosds3680]

Wow all you steam heads and no one commented on how undersized that steam vent was lol

[@jeffreyjohn2037]

What brand and model number vent do you recommend?

[@aglasserm1679]

good deal on the vise! Maybe the amateur who installed the boiler left it behind.........this is the worst piping I have ever seen. this is not to code.

[@chuckquinn8026]

Asbestos?

[@thehvachacker]

All over this house. The house was built late 1800’s many old houses in jersey. Why lots of steam systems exist. Asbestos is safe as long as you don’t break it apart. Usually it’s the fittings on the pipe. The straight pipes had some kind of cardboard with an outer paper wrap.

[@chuckquinn8026]

The HVAC Hacker correct. I worked around it for 40 years. It’s in bad shape in this house, breaking apart. Just saying be careful. My wife died from it. Taught in an old school that had a lot of it in it. They shut the school down for 2 years to clean it out after she passed. Stay safe buddy!

[@mark33545]

The HVAC Hacker when i repacked my circa 1920s steam shut off valve on my radiators some kind of fibrous material came out, looked more like some kind of hemp though, could that have been asbestos? I tried to avoid vacuuming it up just in case.

[@thehvachacker]

Chuck I am very sorry to hear. I will be wearing masks for awhile. I just got out of hospital been cleaning lots of who knows what from my new house. Ended up with colitis most likely infection yet I’m wondering if all the dust and paint fumes could of caused this, I purchased a respirator for all future work their. I’m hoping for infection not chromes or colon cancer

[@chuckquinn8026]

The HVAC Hacker hope you are feeling better fast. I’m not preaching, just reminding people about taking caution around asbestos and wear proper PPE, especially when it’s in a deteriorated condition. Masks are good when cleaning out any basement, garage or attic. God knows what’s being stirred up, and being breathed in...and don’t forget ceramic fibers too in insulation blankets and around burners...just as bad

[@edjovi3677]

bill holy shit i did the same thing but on ice over the week end omg hope your ok the next day i was fucked up with my back for 2 day later edbonjovi

[@thehvachacker]

Hopefully your ok. Somehow I was just dazed by the fall temporarily. I felt it was best to keep that in video since the vise I tumbled over became mine as long as I removed it from the basement.

[@jeffreyjohn2037]

Ed: You should get hooked on phonics.