Best Of

The most creative solution I see is bringing the end of the main in the garage over the garage door as a dry return then either dropping it and the other main in to a wet return and bringing that around the perimeter to the boiler together or brining them separately around as dry returns and at some point dropping them down in to a wet return that goes to the boiler.

the dry returns must drop below the water line before they connect together. if they connect together above the water line, steam from the main that fills first can flow to the main that isn't yet filled through the return and close the vent on that main, preventing it from fully venting and making it slow to heat.

Read the law. It's onerous. The legislation will have one certain result. It will make it still harder and more expensive for families with kids to find landlords who will rent to them.

The landlord must include in every lease that he must inspect radiators annually. He then has a 15 day window each year to request in writing in English and Spanish from the tenant a written statement of whom under six years old lives in the unit. If the tenant doesn't reply, in writing, he must report this to the City by a certain date. If he misses any of this, he pays $500.

Each year, the landlord must hire an licensed master plumber to conduct a

" visual inspection for indicators of possible defects or damage of the steam radiator, including, but not limited to, leaking water, browning floors or walls, signs of corrosion on the steam radiator or its surrounding surfaces, any other evidence of water damage, and looseness of the steam radiator valves."

… in each unit where the under 6 year old lives and all common areas. The plumber must then rat out to the City any deficiencies he finds.

Then, of course if those stains aren't removed from the wood, there are fines and more fines…

If lead paint laws haven't ruled out renting to folks with kids, steam radiators will.

With the obscene costs of doing business in NYC, at least the real plumbers who haven't left for Florida and maintain the license and pay the parking tickets can make a few dollars inspecting iron. You see, none of the legion of foreign handymen who install gas boilers with garden hose will ever be able to call himself a "Radiator Inspector"

I’m thinking that if one kid doesn’t matter then none of us matters.

Vandals swiped the brass valve, but missed the trap.

I like this Sewer analogy but don't add a fan just install more roof vents and cap off the sewer line where it leaves the house. It will be OK, honest. But actually it won't be OK. It will fail miserably.