A Bit Of This. A Bit Of That. Breathlessly.
There are still three radiators in the Cross House to hook up. One is in the Long Bedroom. I was told I could not use it because it has small part which is broken off, and cast-iron cannot be repaired. But Justin (right) and Scott think it might be repairable. Well, whoee!
Every radiator in the house has a small valve to let air escape. The valve screws into the radiator. On the damaged radiator, the section the valve screws into is half broken off. This is what Justin and Scott were hoping to repair. However, it developed that their torch was not hot enough, so they will move on to Plan B. I await the results breathlessly.
Stewart noticed that the stair spindles and the porch spindles might sorta kinda match. He wondered if I could hold them together. So, Stewart, this is for you! And they DO sorta kinda match! I never noticed before!
The flooring in the Servant’s Hall was termite damaged and I removed it shortly after buying the house. The floor joists are also damaged, and some need replacing. So, for a long time there was no floor in the hall. One looked right into the basement. In anticipation in having lots-o-people in the house the day after Thanksgiving, it seemed prudent to install a temporary floor to avoid my guests falling to their death. AND I AM THRILLED! It is a like I suddenly have a whole other room! The room is not large but it has windows on three sides and will make a delightful breakfast room.
When the radiators are installed, I can at last turn on the radiator system!
Except I have no idea of how to do this. To me, this is akin to sitting in a helicopter and trying to figure out how to make it fly.
While talking to Justin today about this dilemma, he pointed to the four boilers and said: “Call them.”
I had no idea what he was talking about. He continued pointing. I hunched down.
Oh. Oh!
One each boiler (there are four) was the name and number of the company, based in Salina, which installed the system. So, I called. A person answered. And they said they could certainly give me a quote to get the whole system up and running.
I await this, too, breathlessly.
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Oh dear. Ross my darling, a boiler is pretty much a hot water heater, only there’s no taps. Instead it’s a closed system, with the hot water rising and filling the radiator, the radiator dissipating the heat and the cooler water sinking back to the boiler.Those valves you are talking about “complete the circuit” so to speak. They let the water circulate throughout the system. There’s also a small valve near the bottom of the radiator, it’s called a “bleeder valve.” This is to “bleed out” the air that inevitably gets into the system. When you have knocking (and you will, it’s the nature of the beast)in the system, you open the bleeder valve and have a small dish under it to catch the water before you close it again. Amazingly this is a very quiet system for heat! You might consider investigating some circulating fans behind them to keep the whole room evenly warm. Otherwise, it’s a great heating system that is serviceable for years to come.
Hi, Dodi!
I am totally in love with my radiator system. It’s one of the reasons I purchased the house.
There are also four high-efficiency pulse boilers installed circa-2000. FABULOUS.
And I understand the basics of how the system works. Hot water rises; cold water drops. All is in a continuous loop. Air in the system is let out by the bleeder valves attached to each radiator.
None of this though is my concern.
My concern is how to get the system up and running? The pipes have sediment and rust particles inside. How to I flush this all out of the system? How do I make sure the water pressure is correct? There are multiple pressure valves attached to the boilers. And two pressure tanks. EEK! And I don’t even know how to turn on the boilers.
I grew up with a forced air system. This is easy! You turn it ON or OFF!
I had to smile when I read about explainig the system of the central heating. In Germany most houses (78%) have it (mostly oil and natural gas) whereas forced air is very seldom (it’s usually listed under “others”).
I understand therefore that it might be difficult to find a competent plumber though.
Good luck to you!
Wow. Suddenly, all the baby steps feel like one big leap toward making your house a home. Amazing.
At least you have a number to call! My boiler is circa 1950’s and Even though it’s an American Standard, there is no manual for it. But like Dodi said, there is a basic flow to follow moving hot out and the cool back.
It was very easy to disassemble, clean, and fire up. I immediately bled the air from the system at all radiators and it is so comfortable! The best heating system I have ever owned! And cheaper tho run than my newer forced air system in my previous newer homes.
Thanks.
I hope to own a home with a radiator/central heating system someday… I have a portable electric/oil radiator in my bedroom, and I love it! I can keep it on one of the lowest settings and my room stays the perfect temperature. While everyone else in the house suffers because we haven’t turned on the furnace yet(which is of terrible build quality I might add) and they’re all freezing. I love the idea and feel of heating from radiators.
On a completely unrelated note, I am ECSTATIC, BREATHLESS, OVER THE MOON excited about that *bitchin* wallpaper sample you have laying on the dresser top in your bedroom, Mr. Ross! I know we’re a very long ways away from seeing that up on the walls, but I can’t wait!
I assure you cast iron can be repaired. I’ve brazed plenty of radiators back together in the past with nickel brazing rod. For the other radiator repair use map gas instead of propane. It’s the yellow cylinder.
Do it my way. Burn through 7 plumbers and then destroy the system as completely as possible trying to do it yourself.
Ha! That is my way too!
I had a fairly large crack in the cast-iron cylinder block in my 1970 Cadillac Eldorado (500 cubic inch Cadillac V-8) welded with nickle rod and the repair took.
I meant, “nickle.”
I hope you get the system running, and please give us an update on how your insulation plan is working. I forget what you called it, but in posts you wrote a few years ago, you mentioned how you were trying to insulate the house with dead air by stuffing/insulating the intersections of the walls and floors and ceilings. I’ve been wondering if that worked, it sounded reasonable. Stay warm!
We drained down the heating system in our house this summer to do some work on the boiler, replace some plumbing, and correct some mistakes made by previous servicemen (who I suspect were professionals, proof they don’t always know better). After getting everything buttoned back up and filled with water, I was surprised how quickly and easily it was to bleed. I had prepared myself for a day of running circuits around the house, bleeding each radiator many times, but two quick rounds and it was done. I did install an automatic air valve at the air separator off the boiler outlet, which probably did help.
Your system is more complex, and larger than ours, but with your gift of quickly learning new things, I’d encourage you to get familiar with it.
I grew up with boilers in our schoolhouse and the first apartment home I lived in (SW corner of 8th & Mechanic which I would love to see turned into a B&B) also had a boiler system. There is a distinct sniff-effect when the steam first starts rising…I can still recall it. But WARM? Oh, yes!
Falling to my death in the Cross House doesn’t sound like a bad way to go. My family would thank you for sending me out in style.
Now that’s just funny! Thanks for making me smile today.
I do my best!
But wouldn’t that be the way to go?
No, I want to break my neck falling down the stairs and end up in a dramatic heap at the bottom with my skirt hiked up just enough for all to see my ‘I am batman” panties. THAT would be the way to go. A strange legend for the Cross House and my picture in the paper!
Such a silly Tiffaney Jewel! No no no won’t have anybody fallling to their death????Ross is so about safety for others— not as much for himself. Come to think of it he does take risks that horrify me! I am so impressed he is thinking of everything in prep for Thanksgiving Friday or First Cross House Thanksgiving in 123 years! So exciting! As I write this I am cooking yummy things in prep for yummy fun with all the participants of this extravaganza!
If you cannot fix the radiator yourself, and need to bring in somebody, go to a motorcycle shop that deals with old Harley’s. If they don’t have somebody there that can weld cast iron, they ought to know someone from doing repairs to the fins on the cylinders of the old Harley motors.
Thank you for the baluster comparison. I enjoyed seeing the differences as well as the similarities between the two. With today’s building codes, you would probably be required to make the ones on the porch the same length as those inside
Concerning your radiator with a hole, you don’t even need help. Just use high heat epoxy putty to do the repair. I used it to patch a hole in my van’s exhaust manifold and it worked like a charm. You can even mold it to match the exact shape of the missing part. If you can’t get the valve off. It can be drilled out. If you do more damage, that can be replaced with the putty too. You can even fill the entire hole drilling and threading for the valve when the putty is cured.
I think I’d make a height extension if I were required to botch the proportions. I’d probably make it cheaply and take it down after the inspection