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October 15th, 2020New to NYC Steam Heat? Why Do Steam Radiators Hiss? What Is Steam Banging?
Are you new to owning or managing property in New York City? If so, NYC steam radiators may be an unknown world for you. And their hissing and banging can be a headache you haven’t dealt with previously. Here’s a refresher on how steam heat functions, as well as what causes radiators to make such abominable noises and how to stop them. Pro tip: if you’re a tenant and reading this, it will give you a heads up about what to ask your landlord if your radiator is causing you aggravation.
How Does Steam Heat Work?
A quick refresher
Steam radiators are an old-fashioned form of heat. They have been around for more than 100 years. Many older buildings in New York City utilize this method of heat because it still works… as long as you work out a few kinks first.
The system is quite simple. Water is heated in a boiler until steam is formed as the water reaches its boiling point and transforms from liquid to gas form. The steam then travels through piping to the radiator, where it warms the environment through radiant heating.
There are three types of radiators commonly used today:
- Cast-iron free-standing radiator: this is the typical old-style radiator most people recognize. It takes up more space and takes longer to heat up, but it also holds heat the longest. We often see this type of steam radiator in NYC buildings.
- Baseboard radiator: this one combines the cast-iron free-standing radiator model with the low space needs of an electric baseboard heater. It uses the same steam method, but it takes up much less room and is less noticeable in any living space.
- Ceramic heating system: this is a newer type of steam radiator. It’s more efficient and isn’t hot to the touch like old-fashioned radiators are.
What Causes Radiators to Hiss?
Escaping air
The noise of a radiator is enough to drive some people crazy. There’s a simple explanation for this intrusion in the space: air escaping from the radiator. Instead of steam being trapped inside the radiator to provide heat, it is being released into the room.
Water, however, should NOT escape this valve!
What Is Steam Banging?
Trapped Water
Steam banging often wakes up tenants early in the morning or late at night, as that’s when radiators are heating up to greet the day or give people one last blast of heat before bed. This sound has been described as a hammer banging on pipes or someone knocking on the radiator, and it’s maddening to people trying to sleep.
What causes the banging noise? Once the steam has entered your radiator, it eventually condenses and must return in the form of a liquid to the boiler, where it can be heated up again to start the process anew. But if water becomes trapped in the radiator — or a section of the steam piping — it can start duking it out with the steam rising through the system, creating that terrible racket and reducing the efficiency of the radiator as a heat source.
There’s often a simple fix for this. Sometimes the radiator sits level on the floor when it should actually be tilted toward the intake valve, which sits between the steam supply pipe and the radiator, near the floor. If a level shows that your radiator is not tipped slightly toward the intake valve, you can increase the incline by shimming the far end of the radiator.
Usually, a wooden door shim or a couple of paint stir sticks purchased at a hardware or home supply store can be positioned under the other end of the radiator to tilt it forward. About a five-degree change should be sufficient. If this doesn’t do the trick, it may be time to call in the pros to see if there’s another cause for the noise.
Call Sanitary Plumbing for Help with Noisy Radiators
Your hyper-local blue-chip plumbers
If your property is having radiator problems and the tips above don’t provide a solution, Sanitary Plumbing is happy to come out and have a look to assist you. We’re experts at working with hissing and clanging radiators, as well as systems that gurgle, leak, or don’t provide adequate heat.
Call us at 212-734-5000, or schedule an appointment online with our convenient online message form. Don’t wait until heat season is here and your tenants are being kept up at night for weeks on end by noisy radiators. Reach out today.
