I am having baseboard put in my basement and ever since the contractor cut the pipes I am having trouble with my heat. It seems that there is a lot air in the pipes. What is the proper way to bleed the pipes? I have been running a hose to the shut off valve but I am I supposed to wait until the water flow stops altogether to know there is no air in the pipes?

Sounds like yet another time the home owner has to follow the contractor and finish the job....they just don't care....

Anyway, yes you have air in the pipes. The air bubble won't push down hill from upstairs. The heat in the basement is probably working the best, no?

If when they built the house they should be vents in your baseboard or radiators, what ever you have at the rest of the house. Some vents are manual, some are auto. Probably manual. If you have baseboard flip up the cover on the end pieces and hopefully you will see a screw type fitting. Get a can to catch water. Chrack the fitting a half a turn or so, don't take it out all the way. There is a bleed hole so you don't have to unscrew totally. Make sure your make up water is on so boil fills after you create more spare in your system.

It is very hard to get all the air out, sometimes it takes time for things to settle. Hope this helps.

Yes it is very frustrating :smash: I will check the end pieces of my baseboard and see if there is a screw.

"Make sure your make up water is on so boil fills after you create more spare in your system." I don't understand what you mean by this?

So what you are saying is the shutoff valve at the furnace is not going to solve air in the pipes upstairs?

Was typing fast, lots of spelling errors.

Anyway, Occasionally your boiler will need a little water i.e. it is low on pressure. Above or near your boiler will be an expansion tank to keep pressure on the system like a pillow/bladder. If the pressure gets too low the boiler will need water from the "street". Some boilers do this just with a manual valve. MOst have a combination pressure regulator set at 15 psi and a relief valve that opens if pressure is excesive. Before this combination valve you you will have a manual shutoff. I keep mine closed normally and open it on occasion, just so if a leak springs when I'm away the house doesn't flood too bad.

What I am saying is as you let air out of you pipes, it is going to want to replace it with water. That expansion tank will compensate to some degree. But if your "street" "make-up" "fill" valve is off then you will loose too much pressure.

Where would the street make up fill valve be located?

Thanks for your help

Should be very close to the boiler, probably within 3 or 4 feet. Follow a pipe in your basement that you know is cold water. Somewhere it will branch off and go to your boiler.

You'll see it. Hope you get warmer. Jon

Thanks I will see what I can do.

Beamie one more question for you. Okay I got both zones going but like you mentioned before my downstairs heat works better than my upstairs. Something is still not right to get my upstairs zone going I need to crank the heat to 84 to get the furnace to fire. I am wondering if there might be a problem with my thermostat, which I doubt because it is brand new or if there is still air trapped upstairs. I checked for bleed holes upstairs and I don't have any so how else can I get the air out if that is the problem. I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and hire a plumber and then have to battle with him to pick up the bill. His solution when I called him last night was just crank the heat, the furnace is still working. :smash:

Sounds like your making a little progress.

Let me state too that I'm not a "plumber". I'm a ships engineer so I'm into everything from diesels, refrigeration,a/c, steam, hydraulics, electricity. A jack of all trades expert of none type.

Boy if there is not venting screw anywhere on the upper zone it is hard to get out. If it is possible to isolate the lower zone(s) and you have some access vavles (garden hose fittings) before and after the boiler it is possible to take water from the street and pressurize the upstairs and try to get enough "flow" to blow the air bubble down to the boiler and out into the sink with another section of hose. Hard to explain in writing.

If you have any work done by a plumber may be a good investment to solder something in upstairs to vent the system.

Not sure about your thermo not firing the boiler till 84'. If the thermo is new and the simple round mercury type I'm sure it is ok. Depending on how new your system is and its controller. Sometimes the boiler fires independantly of the zone pump. For example my system is 50 years old but the downstairs zone starts firing imediately when the zone thermo calls for heat and the pump comes on. When the upstairs zone calls for heat the 'pump only' comes on and circs hot water....when the boiler gets "cold" the thermostat at the boiler closes and fires independant on what the zone thermo says.

I'd take another look at your baseboard upstairs to see if you missed the vent. You still are air locked up there it is just hard getting it out.

Bet it is the last time you hire that guy who did your work. He can't see it from his house,...jerk...Too bad you didn't sive closer, I shoot over and try to help you out....For a few plugs of course:) :)

Good Luck, Jon

Jon thanks for all the tips I appreciate it.

I hate Plumbers!...

Not being a smart ass but, If you have a door to your upstaris try keeping it shut and see if your upstaris zome works better. IF you keep the downstaris zone warmer than the upstairs one the stairway acts like a flue drawing warm air to the upstairs. Try shutting the door and see if it helps.

Call your heating person your Thermostat might not work with the zone valves or your thermostat might have to be adjusted there is a lever on the round brown Honeywell type if I remember right it is on tje lower right side of the thermostat by moving the lever toward the plus or mimus sign you can adjust how fast you furance reacts to your theromstat this might help you also. Good luck and have great Holiday season. THomT

:) If what you are doing fails to solve the problem go down to the boiler with a 5 gal. bucket with handle!!!

As you are facing the boiler the pipes on your right are the pipes that supply the heat to your base board !!!

As you are facing the boiler the pipes to your left are the pipes that feed back to your boiler!!! One zone =one thermostate!! two zones =two thermostates etc:

the pipes to your left should have on /off faucets handles like your out door faucet or lever!!!

Take your bucket and hold it under faucet on left side of furnace, open faucet just enough to let water run or maybe a little more [you be the judge] when water is not cloudy shut off!!! If two zone there should be another pipe, do the same!!! If three zones etc: repeat as you did the 1st zone!!!

Furnaces have automatic refill!!! It will fill on its own!!! ;) :cool:

P.S. Do not turn faucets on like you would a outdoor faucet!!!