House in Progress Diary

Diagnosing a Problem Radiator Air Vent

This morning, I pushed open the door of our first floor bathroom and immediately stepped into a puddle of water.

Grace was nowhere in the vicinity, so I quickly checked her off of the Culprit List.

The water was sputtering out of the steam vent on the bathroom's radiator. I could have kicked myself because I have heard that vent hissing off and on for some time now and I hadn't looked into fixing it. Instead I had a radiator with a leaky air vent and a Rube Goldberg contraption of a cheap glass vase and a the dog's old bath towel set up to catch the overflow.

I know better. I really do. I read Dan Holohan. I've studied his fascinating treatise on the Care and Feeding of Air Vents. But do I actually follow his advice? Noooooooo.

And for that, I got wet feet and a soggy shower curtain. That'll teach me.

Because of Dan, I know that my radiators are not supposed to hiss. Or bang. Or even gurgle. A finely tuned steam radiator system should just quietly heat the house. But the one in the bathroom had been hissing for months and I'd been ignoring it, wishing I could defer dealing with it until after heating season was over. It is not to be. And now, worse, I have a LEAKING air vent which hints at a larger problem than a clogged air vent. What is this now? An overfilled boiler? Problem with the supply valve? Is it the pitch of the radiator?

I've got to figure this out, pronto. Or at least stem the tide of water splurting (is that a word? It should be.) out of the side of the radiator. Especially since Grace has new ladybug rainboots and REALLY wants to try them out.

Posted by jeanne on February 25, 2008 at 2:10 PM (1)