[dlochart]

Happy New Year all!

Last night we were using our fireplace and the thermostat is in the same room so when we went into another room to watch the ball drop we noticed the temp in the room was cold but figured it was because the heat had not run in a few hours. I awoke this morning and check the situation and found that 1/4 of the house's heat pipes were cold.

One thing that has been happening is that the auto bleeder on the boiler has been VERY active lately and we have heard some rattling of pipes near the boiler. We have the boiler serviced every year and it is only 5 years old.

Can someone explain what are the most likely causes of this please? I have a bleeder key for the baseboard pipes which I will try soon but I have a feeling it is something else. Have no fear I will NOT try and fix this myself outside of bleeding pipes... I know my limitations... sure I could do it with proper training and experience but I have neither.

Thanks again for your time and assistance!

Doug

[hvac1000]

It could be that bleeding the pipes will help but there are a few other items that can have this effect.

If you system is zoned then one of the zones could be inoperative.
The automatic water feeded to the boiler could be defective.
There could be a leak in the system causing the boiler to need makeup water all the time leading to air entrainment over time.
Pump capacity could be deminished (weak or bad impeller).
The water supply itself could have air in it. Usually a city water supply does not have this problem but water well and other systems could.

I am sure there are more possibilitys but if I were you I would call for service and get it repaired ASAP.

[dlochart]

If you system is zoned then one of the zones could be inoperative.
ASAP.

I am not sure it we have 2 zones or not but I have a feeling we do and you are spot on. In our foyer the pipe on one side of the door is hot and the other side is cold. This cold pipe continues into the room and one side of a bathroom that then goes back to the boiler. I found 3 bleeder valves along the cold pipe and bled them all. There was some air in the pipes but once I took the air out (constant stream of water coming out) of all 3 the pipe still does not get warm. Thus I am thinking the 2 zone theory is accurate and one zone is not operating for whatever reason.

We have been hearing this clanking noise a lot the past few days and the auto bleeder on the boiler spits and fizzles quite often but I am not sure if that is a sympton of zone not working or something more severe.

I WANT to call for service but it is New Years Day and everyone around is not working ( we are in the sticks). I will call tomorrow morning.

Is there an easy way to tell if I have 2 zones or not?

Thanks

Doug

[hvac1000]

If you can see your pipe as it leaves your boiler and if there are two zone valves that might be a give a way to the possibility of two different zones. Also two different thermostats will also be a sign. In some cases two different pumps can also be a sign.