Radiator Off but Still Gets Extremely Hot?
The radiator in my bedroom is shut off completely, however it still gets extremely hot and spits out steam. It gets so hot that I can’t sleep in there and end up on the couch. There is also a steam pipe in the other corner of the room that provides steam heat to the upper floors of the building that heats my room up quite a bit, so with the radiator still turning on it ends up being like a sauna. Should I just have the radiator completely removed and heat with an electric heater? And who should pay for the removal? Me or the landlord?
Thanks
I may have an answer. I lived in a 135 year-old victorian for 18 years. I learned from the man who installed a new radiator for me that the original, old fashioned shutoff valves (which look like outside water-hose on/off valves) turn only 1/4 turn in each direction. Left 1/4 turn is off and right 1/4 turn in on. Hard to explain but a small turn in either direction either opens or closes the small hole that allows the water to flow in.
People who try to adjust the heat believe the shut-off valves function like outside water shut-off valves and unknowingly "force" the valve past the 1/4 turn trying to "crank" them shut. They don’t realize that it takes time for a radiator to either heat up or cool down. Once that happens the valve is compromised and no longer works correctly. You might be able to play with it and get it to seal off the water flow, but it’s a crap shoot. I vote for the landlord replacing the valve.