Gas coming out while bleeding radiator

[jongacat]

When we opened the valves on our third floor radiators, no water or air is coming out, just gas! What should we do? Other radiators in the house are fine.

 

[ollski]

now that must be a first!..any chance of some details about your system?

 

[breezer]

When we opened the valves on our third floor radiators, no water or air is coming out, just gas! What should we do? Other radiators in the house are fine.

how do you know it is "gas" and what happens if you carry on bleeding, it may be a build up due to a sludge remover, if you are in any doubt call an authorised repair person, its a bit of a long way for us in the U.K. to "pop round"

 

[jongacat]

Well, it sure smells like gas! Plus my husband was getting dizzy from the fumes blowing in his face. He kept it open as long as he could to see if water would come out, but he was in danger of passing out.

As for details on the heating system itself, I'm not too sure.

 

[oilman]

I take it you have a gas boiler.

If you think it is gas coming out of your radiators, why have you not got someone professional round to sort it? If you have neighbours, and your leaking gas explodes, they will possibly want some legal redress for your negligence.

 

[ChrisR]

Water(H2O) rusts radiators(Iron). The iron grabs the Oxygen from the water, makes Iron Oxide (= rust) and you're left with hydrogen - which is what you're smelling. If you put a corrosion inhibitor in your system it will stop the reaction, and you won't have to bleed your rads any more.

 

[oilman]

I agree with the chemistry ChrisR, but it seems odd to have the quantity of gas in the system that jongacat indicates, to the extent of being overcome by it. I'd suspect that if that much corrosion had occurred there is severe degradation of the system. Or is it that I am drawing incorrect conclusions? With that quantity of hydrogen I am thinking of a possible fire risk, if, for instance a light switch is operated.

 

[breezer]

only one problem, hyrdrogen doesn't smell.

Just had a thought

jongacat does it smell of rotten eggs?

I was just thinking hyrdrogen doesnt smell but hydrogen sulphide does, may be something that is in the water that is creating it (or a similar gas)

 

[oilman]

The hydrogen sulphide could be produced by bacterial activity in the system, and may be a small quantity compared with the total gas production in this case. For a bit more information see this .

Some physiological effects of H2S

PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSE OF ADULT HUMANS TO HYDROGEN SULPHIDE **
Effect..................................Concentration
.......................................Mg (H2S)/1 Kg (Air)
Least Detectable Odour...............0.01-0.7
Offensive Odour........................3-5
Eye Irritation.............................10
Irritation Mucous Membranes
and Lungs...............................20
Irritation of Respiratory Tract......50-100
Olefactory Nerve Paralysis.........150
Headache, Dizziness................200
Nausea, Excitement,
Unconsciousness......................500-600
Rapidly Fatal...........................700-2000 **

Source Nordstron, G.A.: J.B. McQuilty: "Manure
Gases in the Animal Environment." University of
Alberta - 1976.

Note that H2S has the property of paraylising the nerves so that the smell is undetectable at the concentrations that cause dizziness (and it's toxic)

 

[sterose]

I think what you should do is rip out the old, and refit and replumb a new CH system.

I mean, come on, its certainly 'plumbing the depths' (sorry...) when your CH system is producing toxic gases in a large enough quantity to fill up a radiator, and make you go dizzy.

How old is the system - does it have 'property of Julius Caesar' written on it??

 

[Registered Gas Man]

Gas are you sure!!!!

Gas as in the explosive variety that you cook with!!!!

Not the site for you seek Oilmans first advice:

have you not got someone professional round to sort it?

 

[sterose]

"Gas are you sure!!!!"

 

[jongacat]

Light a match! Oy! Well, I don't think it is actual cooking/ heating type gas, nor does it smell like rotten eggs. My husband is the one who got a face full of it and he said it didn't smell like "gas" per se. The house itself is over a hundred years old. We have one radiator left over from the 1920s, but the rest are newer (fifties?). The boiler was replaced last year. We have only lived here a little over two years, and I think the house was vacant a few years before we moved in, so I don't know how well things were taken care of in that time.

I suppose we should have someone come out and look things over...