HELP! Insanely hot heating poles radiators
I have a pole running through each room in my apartment - it goes from the basement to the top floor and I guess it carries the heat because it periodically gets insanely hot to the touch. Anyone know of any way of insulating those things?
Also, I've seen things that can be used to cover radiators and make them useful surfaces/not as crazy hot to the touch. I don't need anything especially pretty, but innocuous would be nice. Where do you get those?
Also, I've seen things that can be used to cover radiators and make them useful surfaces/not as crazy hot to the touch. I don't need anything especially pretty, but innocuous would be nice. Where do you get those?
Comments
-
Radiator covers are pretty pricey -- but you may be able to find some cheap used ones (craigslist?)
For the "poles" -- they are the water/steam pipes that go in to the radiators. First, why are you rubbing up against them? Uncovered they are just an extension of your radiators.... but if you don't want them giving off heat, you just need to go to Lowe's (or smilar) -- you need pipe insulation. Like this:
http://expressinsulation.com/fiberglass_insulation.html -
Insulating the pipes seems like something I could reasonably ask my landlord to pay for, no? I mean, I'm not "rubbing up against them" for fun. I've just touched them accidentally and they're scary hot.
(I know the radiator cover's on my dime.) -
For a nautical theme you could wrap the pipe as below. Still gives off heat but won't burn.
Notice the clock? -
Man my radiator pipes keep clanking all the time, especially in my bedroom at about 4 AM every morning. And the knob is turned all the way off. Anyone have any ideas about how to deal with that? Is there someone the super can call who can stop the clanking? The whole technology behind those damn things is beyond me.
-
Is the clanking specific to your radiator/pipes or does it sound like it's coming from somewhere else?
Do you have one or two pipes coming into your radiator?
Do you have an air vent on one end of the radiator? (one of those silver bullet shaped thingies. -
modsquad wrote: For a nautical theme you could wrap the pipe as below. Still gives off heat but won't burn.
I have been in "fancy" restaurants in the hood that have covered the pipes like that. It is so much more attractive than what can be bought as pipe insulation at Lowes and cheaper by far.The cheap is perhaps the why the pipes in the Brownstone I grew up in had artistically covered pipes like that. Well actually it was the cheapest solution at the time.. and perhaps now (50 years later) and Grampa was always in need of saving money.
Notice the clock? -
DanielJ there is probably water catching in the pipe system or your radiator. This one IS the responsibility of the landlord.
-
DanielJ wrote: Man my radiator pipes keep clanking all the time, especially in my bedroom at about 4 AM every morning. And the knob is turned all the way off. Anyone have any ideas about how to deal with that? Is there someone the super can call who can stop the clanking? The whole technology behind those damn things is beyond me.
Sounds like the valves need to be replaced, especially if they haven't been in a while.
While the heat is off, remove them, go to Lowe's or HD, get replacements and put them in. Fairly simple, actually. -
lnelson wrote: Insulating the pipes seems like something I could reasonably ask my landlord to pay for, no? I mean, I'm not "rubbing up against them" for fun. I've just touched them accidentally and they're scary hot.
seems doubtful - every apartment i've had/friends have had these pipes and nothing was provided by a landlord.
(I know the radiator cover's on my dime.)
i like the rope idea. -
veets wrote: [quote="modsquad" It is so much more attractive than what can be bought as pipe insulation at Lowes and cheaper by far.
Rope will not insulate as much so you'll get more heat -
BrooklynJack wrote: [quote=veets][quote="modsquad" It is so much more attractive than what can be bought as pipe insulation at Lowes and cheaper by far.
Rope will not insulate as much so you'll get more heat
-
Pintchik's sells stick-on, wrap-around insulated radiator pipe covers. My husband was worried about our 19-month old daughter grabbing onto either of the 2 pipes running through our living room, so I looked around. I bought 4 3-foot sections for $7 each. They're fiberglass insulation covered in white paper on the outside and practically blend into the walls.
-
I think that the pipe insulation others mentioned is pretty easy and not too noticeable. The previous tenants here had little kids so they put them on the lower portion of the pipes so not trying to cover the whole thing is an option to consider that makes it easier/cheaper (just up to where you might bump into it).
There was another thread recently on radiator covers. Maybe one of us will dig that up later but the poster ended up using a craigslist guy to make it and was happy with the result. -
BrooklynGigCenter wrote: [quote=DanielJ]Man my radiator pipes keep clanking all the time, especially in my bedroom at about 4 AM every morning. And the knob is turned all the way off. Anyone have any ideas about how to deal with that? Is there someone the super can call who can stop the clanking? The whole technology behind those damn things is beyond me.
Sounds like the valves need to be replaced, especially if they haven't been in a while.
While the heat is off, remove them, go to Lowe's or HD, get replacements and put them in. Fairly simple, actually.
some places, like tarzian hardware, like to charge $20 for these. If you pay more than $5 you are getting screwed. -
vidro3 wrote: [quote=BrooklynGigCenter][quote=DanielJ]Man my radiator pipes keep clanking all the time, especially in my bedroom at about 4 AM every morning. And the knob is turned all the way off. Anyone have any ideas about how to deal with that? Is there someone the super can call who can stop the clanking? The whole technology behind those damn things is beyond me.
Sounds like the valves need to be replaced, especially if they haven't been in a while.
While the heat is off, remove them, go to Lowe's or HD, get replacements and put them in. Fairly simple, actually.
some places, like tarzian hardware, like to charge $20 for these. If you pay more than $5 you are getting screwed.
It's one pipe, going into a radiator with a small round metal thing at one end and a knob to turn at the other. How can I change the valve in this? Where exactly is the valve? I've been trying to find some sort of diagram or something online and there's nothing. It's quite frustrating, actually- I've been trying to educate myself on this for the past year and there's just no info available. -
Does it look like this?
Maybe this?
What about this?
-
-
vidro3 wrote: [quote=BrooklynGigCenter][quote=DanielJ]Man my radiator pipes keep clanking all the time, especially in my bedroom at about 4 AM every morning. And the knob is turned all the way off. Anyone have any ideas about how to deal with that? Is there someone the super can call who can stop the clanking? The whole technology behind those damn things is beyond me.
Sounds like the valves need to be replaced, especially if they haven't been in a while.
While the heat is off, remove them, go to Lowe's or HD, get replacements and put them in. Fairly simple, actually.
some places, like tarzian hardware, like to charge $20 for these. If you pay more than $5 you are getting screwed.
Another alternative: There's a plumbing supply place across Flatbush from Pinchick. Reasonable prices, helpful staff.
....please make sure your heat is off, and can not come back on, before you take out the valve. -
You people are crazy! Valve has nothing to do with the clanking. If the clanking is coming from his radiator then try lifting the end up that is away from the pipe and inserting a scrap of wood under the feet on that side. Use a level to make sure it is sloping the right way. This will insure that water trapped in the radiator runs back down the pipe to the boiler.A working air vent will help drain any water in the radiator faster. Use a crowbar or laptop to lift with. Better yet put the laptop under the feet.
Oh yeah, open the valve to make sure any water trapped runs out. In the future you might want to periodically open and close the valve to check for water.
If the clanging is coming from somewhere else then this won't help. -
s'mores, karl. where are the s'mores???
-
Why are you telling this poor guy to replace his radiator valves?
The CLANKING is because the heating system doesn't have adequate "steam traps" and or the pipes throughout the building aren't anchored properly -- rapid cooling and warming of water/steam causes expansion... the clanking is caused from the steam slamming into a corner -- an elbow joint.
And because there isn't a "steam trap" to absorb the shock, the pipes shake.
Fixing the pressure valve on his radiator won't fix this... Also, HOW THE HELLO IS HE SUPPOSE TO DO THIS? The whole heating system has to be shut off. -
modsquad is right. "Clanking" is almost always caused by the steam entering the radiator colliding with the condensed water in the radiator which is trying to drain back down into the boiler but hasn't been able to because the radiator is pitched improperly. Suggested remedy should cure that but be careful. Do not attempt to loosen the union (or any connections) while the system is on. You could get scalded. The only mystery from DanielJ's post is why this is happening with the valve in the full "off" position. That may be a partially failed valve which is permitting some steam to enter. I am a landlord and this is a landlord problem. Tell him/her you can't sleep.
-
tybur 6- I have owned several older buildings through the years and they were all ONE PIPE STEAM. None of them had steam traps. None of them ever clanked one bit. Properly working air vents that are properly sized and properly pitched radiators will eliminate clanking/banging.
-
tybur6 wrote:
You're crazy too. The clanking is caused by the inability of the water to drain back to the boiler, not the live steam slamming into an elbow. All radiators and pipes need to be "pitched " back toward the riser. The air vents which some people are confusing with the valves not only allow the steam to reach the radiators quickly but vent the same radiator to allow the water to return to the boiler quickly. A steam trap is useful in a long horizontal run but not necessary in normal residential steam heating systems. All a steam trap does is allow condensation to travel back to the boiler in a separate return line.
Why are you telling this poor guy to replace his radiator valves?
The CLANKING is because the heating system doesn't have adequate "steam traps" and or the pipes throughout the building aren't anchored properly -- rapid cooling and warming of water/steam causes expansion... the clanking is caused from the steam slamming into a corner -- an elbow joint.
And because there isn't a "steam trap" to absorb the shock, the pipes shake.
Fixing the pressure valve on his radiator won't fix this... Also, HOW THE HELLO IS HE SUPPOSE TO DO THIS? The whole heating system has to be shut off.
edited once:
As G2BDON says above -
What modsquad said!
-
lol
-
You're right... it's due to the water and the "active steam" hitting this condensation (that shouldn't be there) creating the phenomenon called a "water hammer"
And yes, simple steam traps are used to avoid this. There is no "separate" return line. It's a valve. Opening and closing automatically separating the steam from the condensate.... Are there steam traps in a regular house with steam heat? YES. Are there lots of them? No. Is steam even common in a small building? NO. Would there be "long horizontal runs" in a large apartment building with dozens of units? Yes.
Regardless Modsquad - the problem probably has NOTHING to do with his bedroom radiator. And he can do nothing to fix it.
However, this is something he should tell the landlord/super about. If the problem can be diagnosed and solved, there would be a lower chance of the "water hammer" bursting a pipe/joint and causing bigger problems. And he might be able to get to sleep. -
Fine Gibson... but the problem is still probably NOT his own bedroom radiator. Chances are the cause of the clanging comes from somewhere else on the pipe.
Howdy, Stranger!
Categories
- 40K All Categories
- 27.1K Neighborhoods
- 5.1K Crown Heights/Prospect Lefferts Gardens
- 7.1K Prospect Heights
- 2.3K Fort Greene, Clinton Hill, Bed-Stuy
- 8K Park Slope
- 549 Williamsburg, Greenpoint, Bushwick
- 442 Flatbush/Midwood/Ditmas Park
- 657 BoCoCa (Boerum Hill, Cobble Hill, Carroll Gardens)
- 151 Red Hook
- 104 Gowanus
- 304 Bay Ridge/Bensonhurst
- 130 Coney Island, Brighton Beach, Sheepshead Bay
- 270 Brooklyn Heights, DUMBO and Downtown
- 598 Windsor Terrace / Kensington
- 673 Greenwood Heights and Sunset Park
- 749 Brooklyn and Beyond
- 6.3K Stuff
- 86 Brooklyn Back When
- 1.2K Brooklyn Pets
- 257 Brooklyn Kids
- 241 Brooklyn Eats
- 51 Brooklyn Booze
- 3.6K The Lounge / Random Stuff
- 611 Brooklyn Politics
- 122 Brooklyn Sports and Fitness
- 111 Brooklyn Photos
- 339 Site Issues
- 8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- 6.2K Listings
- 1.1K APARTMENTS and REAL ESTATE
- 1.3K Sales Openings Events
- 2.3K The Classifieds