Radiator Heat Systems, Hot Water and Steam
How to tell which type of radiator system you have
The image above shows 3 of the most common types of systems by their radiators.
Steam radiators have a valve on one side and a vent on the other. This vent is often bullet shaped or elongated and may or may not have an adjustable metered knob attached.
Hot Water radiators will have one valve on one end of the radiator and a pipe coming out of the other side that may go downward into the floor or sideways depending on the setup of the system.
Radiator Heating Systems, Hot Water
If your home is equipped with a hot water radiator system please use the following steps to resolve your no heat issue:
Ensure the thermostat is on and calling for heat. If you are in an apartment building, check with the other residents to ensure yours is not the only unit affected.
Ensure your radiator valves are in the "open" position. The valve will normally be located near the floor on a pipe connected to the radiator or the radiator itself. These work like any jar or normal valve: Counterclockwise to open, clockwise to close. Some valves may stick. It's ok to put a little effort into the turning of the valve, but you should not need to use leverage or strain yourself. If you are unsure if a valve is open or closed, turn it the other way to test that direction. If the valve does not move in any direction, contact us so we can assist you.
"Bleed" the radiator. Air accumulates in radiator systems and floats to the top of the radiator and many times to the top of the system. All radiators should be bled once per year but generally top floor radiators will be the ones that accumulate the most air. But this is not always the case. A radiator or bleeder key is easy to come by at a local hardware store and can come in handy to give you faster resolution if this is the problem. Simply hold a cup under the small valve at the top of the radiator, turn the key to open the valve. Shut the valve as soon as water comes out of the bleed valve.Give the system a couple of hours after bleeding to start producing noticeable heat
If neither of these works for you, contact us for assistance.
Steam System
Whole Radiator is cold
Steam systems work a little differently from other radiator systems. First thing to do is check to make sure the WHOLE radiator is cold and to determine whether it is "cold" or warm but not hot. These imply different situations.
Feel across the whole radiator to make sure both ends are cold. If so, check the pipe below the valve or the valve itself. If these are hot, the valve is most likely closed. Open it. If you cannot open it, contact us for assistance.
If the radiator is cool throughout including the valve, check other radiators in your home. If they are all cold, check the thermostat to ensure it is "On" and calling for heat, and batteries are changed if it is a digital thermostat.
Lastly if the thermostat is on and calling for heat and all radiators are cold, check the boiler, if you have access, to ensure it is turned on at its main safety shutoff switch. This is normally a light switch style switch close to the boiler. These are sometimes turned off during servicing or when gas meters are serviced etc. Turn that on. If the boiler does not turn on or you don't have access, contact us for assistance.
If the radiator is warm but not hot, the system may be cycling through the radiation portion of its heating cycle. In radiator systems, the hot water or steam is used to heat up cast iron radiators that hold a great deal of heat (high thermal mass), but take a long time to heat up and to dissipate that heat. It is likely that the radiator is not calling for heat and the radiator is cooling. In the next couple of hours, assuming cold temperatures persist, the boiler will turn back on, heat up the radiators again, and the cycle will repeat. During very cold temperatures the cycle may continuously repeat and radiators may seem hot all the time. This is normal, but without those cold temperatures the cycles will be more gradual and farther apart.
Radiator is cold on one end and hot/warm on the other
This is a very common occurrence in steam radiators and does not mean the system is not working or is not working properly. This is most common in the shoulder seasons where temperatures are cooler but not frigid. The system is simply not fully filling with steam because it does not need to. If temperatures are very cold outside and the system has been on for more than a few hours and this issue presents, contact us so we can help you diagnose. Otherwise it is nothing to be concerned about. Instead focus on your overall indoor temperatures. See our section on ensuring windows are closed and locked as this is the most common cause we encounter for residents being uncomfortable or "no heat" calls.