Thank you! For anyone struggling--read this. Basic premise is you need to know the direction of the water flow. You want city or well water to come into the boiler through the pressure regulator, go through the boiler, and out into ONE zone at a time but before it gets back to the boiler you want to close a valve to stop it from going back into the boiler. Hopefully, right above that valve, you have a drain valve that you can hook a hose up to and let the water circulate until no bubbles come out. I have one circulator and three zone valves. The zone valves are usually on the return side and they have arrows on the brass to show the direction of water flow. Here are the steps. Step 1--shut off power to boiler. Step 2--note what the pressure is, there should be a dual gage that shows temperature and pressure. Mine was 18lbs but I think most are lower. Step 3--figure out direction of water flow, usually up out of boiler, past expansion tank and splitting off into multiple zones. Step 4--wherever the zones come back, shut the valves on all but one of them. If there are no physical valves, you can leave the zone valves in the auto position and just put one of them in the manual position, which is open, and you can bleed that zone first. Step 5--close the main return valve to prevent water from going back into the boiler. Step--6 hook up the hose to the drain valve which should be right above the return valve you just closed, and put the hose in a 5 gallon bucket where it can overflow and you can see the air bubbles stop. On my three zones, there was one that took a full five minutes before I saw no air bubbles. Step 7--Close the drain valve, close the physical valve on that zone or put the zone valve back in auto mode and open the valve on another zone. Repeat the whole process. Step 8--Close the drain valve, open the main return valve so that water can get back into the boiler. Use the lever on the pressure regulator to bring the water pressure back to where it was. Step 9--Pat yourself on the back for being a can do person!!!
What happens when your purging a unit but the system it self isn’t showing signs of electric to it ? Does it matter ? I did purge while it was off but it’s does not seem to want to kick on at all .
Love your content! 1 question. On this video, you said to do the zone valves one at a time, but in a video in March 2014 you opened all the zone valves at once. Does it matter?
+Joe Bal yes i have to purge system with circs on the supply pushing away .on a house like this it really does not matter were the circalator is .in my opion both will work just fine .
Hi, thanks for your helpful video. I have a question. I have a boiler with one circulation pump and four zones valve. When I try to remove the air from the system, should the zone valve be opened or closed? Thank you.
+Ryan Losinger sounds like you might have some air in there .. i always say once is first starts you will hear the water start to move then it should quite down . a minute is kinda long
I have to keep purging a zone valve I purge it works for a couple days then I have to purge it again the the zone is 2 years old I had the whole system replaced when I bought property its for a 6 unit building that’s the only zone that gives me a problem can someone help
yes if the auto vent is not venting it should be changed, that's what they are for. There should also be vents at the high points in the piping system, air always goes to the highest point.
Thank you! For anyone struggling--read this. Basic premise is you need to know the direction of the water flow. You want city or well water to come into the boiler through the pressure regulator, go through the boiler, and out into ONE zone at a time but before it gets back to the boiler you want to close a valve to stop it from going back into the boiler. Hopefully, right above that valve, you have a drain valve that you can hook a hose up to and let the water circulate until no bubbles come out. I have one circulator and three zone valves. The zone valves are usually on the return side and they have arrows on the brass to show the direction of water flow. Here are the steps.
Step 1--shut off power to boiler. Step 2--note what the pressure is, there should be a dual gage that shows temperature and pressure. Mine was 18lbs but I think most are lower. Step 3--figure out direction of water flow, usually up out of boiler, past expansion tank and splitting off into multiple zones. Step 4--wherever the zones come back, shut the valves on all but one of them. If there are no physical valves, you can leave the zone valves in the auto position and just put one of them in the manual position, which is open, and you can bleed that zone first. Step 5--close the main return valve to prevent water from going back into the boiler. Step--6 hook up the hose to the drain valve which should be right above the return valve you just closed, and put the hose in a 5 gallon bucket where it can overflow and you can see the air bubbles stop. On my three zones, there was one that took a full five minutes before I saw no air bubbles. Step 7--Close the drain valve, close the physical valve on that zone or put the zone valve back in auto mode and open the valve on another zone. Repeat the whole process. Step 8--Close the drain valve, open the main return valve so that water can get back into the boiler. Use the lever on the pressure regulator to bring the water pressure back to where it was. Step 9--Pat yourself on the back for being a can do person!!!
No tools required. Good job. Thanks for the video.
+Phillip Groom your right maybe just a pair of pump plyers will do the job
Does system have to be powered first... apologies if stupid question, our relief tube overflowed upon startup after 6 months off....
Great video Steve
you are the man
+dklucas1 thanks man
very good steve!!!!!
Thank I found you again.
Good job Steve
+RomTop Instal no more noise
Nice job Steve
+Harry Dickson thanks harry
Nice job!
+Don Burton thanks man
Urgent. What temp does boiler need to be down to start. Have a air locked zone and shut down. But dont want to crack cast iron boiler.
What happens when your purging a unit but the system it self isn’t showing signs of electric to it ? Does it matter ? I did purge while it was off but it’s does not seem to want to kick on at all .
Steve, how do you purge if there isn’t a purge station on the return side?
Love your content! 1 question. On this video, you said to do the zone valves one at a time, but in a video in March 2014 you opened all the zone valves at once. Does it matter?
It does matter plus always better to be safe
Good video Steve. A little air can make quite a bit of noise.
+Fireship1 yes sir
Replace those float vents while you're at it you will purge it less often.
I'm curious, can you remember how many times you had to purge air out of a system with the circs on the supply pumping away, versus on the return.
+Joe Bal yes i have to purge system with circs on the supply pushing away .on a house like this it really does not matter were the circalator is .in my opion both will work just fine .
Steve, you purged the one zone, or all? Nice video!
+hllywd964 all zones
you have to do both ? or can do just one?
Hi, thanks for your helpful video. I have a question. I have a boiler with one circulation pump and four zones valve. When I try to remove the air from the system, should the zone valve be opened or closed? Thank you.
Hi Steve,
Replacing heating baseboard. Any tips or links on how to purge a momoflo system? Thanks!
+cocopuff67 cocopuff67 monoflow system has to be bleed at each radiator
+steven lavimoniere Thanks!
Is it okay to hear burbling when the zone opens, but goes away after a minute?
+Ryan Losinger sounds like you might have some air in there .. i always say once is first starts you will hear the water start to move then it should quite down . a minute is kinda long
Thanks! Time to give the beast a good flush!
hey Steve, what kind of camera do you use for your video footage?
I have to keep purging a zone valve I purge it works for a couple days then I have to purge it again the the zone is 2 years old I had the whole system replaced when I bought property its for a 6 unit building that’s the only zone that gives me a problem can someone help
what if the water doesn't come out of the bleed valve?
Useless with no explanation
Change that air bleeder off the air scoop
+WJWHVAC-R -INC if its not leaking it stays
yes if the auto vent is not venting it should be changed, that's what they are for. There should also be vents at the high points in the piping system, air always goes to the highest point.
Nice job Steve
+Bernard Sobbe thanks man