Steam heat help

[Entrepreneur]

My house has steam heat and the radiators are not getting hot in 2 rooms.  Other rooms on the same floor are getting heat.
What can it be?

Thanks

[DovtheBear]

My house has steam heat and the radiators are not getting hot in 2 rooms.  Other rooms on the same floor are getting heat.
What can it be?

Thanks

Maybe the valves are closed?

[Entrepreneur]

Maybe the valves are closed?

I am not sure what the valves are, but there is a knob on the bottom that says <- open  close -> that I can turn.  I tried turning it all the way in each directions and nothing happened

[beej]

Do you mean literally steam?
Or is it really a pumped water system?
Water system radiators need to be bled.

[Entrepreneur]

Do you mean literally steam?
Or is it really a pumped water system?
Water system radiators need to be bled.

Would a picture of it help?

[beej]

You can try but i doubt it. (i'm no pro)

Look for a little screw-type-looking-thing (sometimes it's an actual screw) and slowly unscrew it. If it's a water system and what I'm saying is correct, you will start to hear air being released. Eventually that air will turn into water at which point you are done.
Air can build up i the radiator which blocks the water from making it's way in.
Just be carelful because the air/water can be real hot.

I think this is only for water systems....

[DovtheBear]

I am not sure what the valves are, but there is a knob on the bottom that says <- open  close -> that I can turn.  I tried turning it all the way in each directions and nothing happened

Turn to open and wait.
Is the heat on now?

[Entrepreneur]

Turn to open and wait.
Is the heat on now?

I tried that and nothing

[cozmohoot]

What about the air valve at the other end of the open shut valve? I had to replace those at one point

[aygart]

Stream systems have a steam valve at the end of each radiator. If the valve is rusty our otherwise faulty it will not let the air in the radiator out and therefore not let the steam in.

[ckmk47]

What about the air valve at the other end of the open shut valve? I had to replace those at one point

I agree.  Has this been an ongoing problem, or is this year the first time this is happening?  If it's ongoing, new airvalves may do the trick.

The air valves are easy to change.   When the heat is down!  Unscrew the old one.  Use plumbers tape, the plastic non-sticky white roll, to make sure your new valve has a good seal. 
Valve sizes.  Ask at the plumbing supply store which they recommend.  Generally, upstairs you need a larger holed one to draw up more steam compared to the first floor. 

[ushdadude]

I have steam heat and some rooms were not getting warmed. We had the oil company come and he cranked our heat to 78 and at about 74 all the radiators started getting hot. He said that pressure just needed t build up sufficiently to reach those radiators.
Obviously this is not a practical solution because the rest of the house was stifling. Is there a way to balance the radiators so even the far ones get steam without suffocating everyone in the rooms closer?

[stmark]

I have steam heat and some rooms were not getting warmed. We had the oil company come and he cranked our heat to 78 and at about 74 all the radiators started getting hot. He said that pressure just needed t build up sufficiently to reach those radiators.
Obviously this is not a practical solution because the rest of the house was stifling. Is there a way to balance the radiators so even the far ones get steam without suffocating everyone in the rooms closer?

Call a local plumber. You should not have to do this. Your bills will skyrocket.

[ckmk47]

Is there a way to balance the radiators so even the far ones get steam without suffocating everyone in the rooms closer?

Air valve sizes.
They generally reccommned larger sized valves further away from the boiler to draw up more heat.
You can play with the valve sizes. 
Change the ones closer to the boiler (downstairs) to a smaller size and see if that keeps the heat downstairs reasonable, while the upstairs gets enough heat.
Change the cold rooms to valves with much larger openings, and see if that helps.
Do both - smaller closer to the boiler, larger in cold rooms.


To change them:  When the heat is down!! unscrew the valve.  put teflon tape on the thread of the new valve.  screw in place.  wait for the heat to come up.  check for leaks, and screw in tighter if there are any.

[ushdadude]

Call a local plumber. You should not have to do this. Your bills will skyrocket.

why would my bills skyrocket?