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Re: What is this rock like lining material in my old oil burner boiler? lava rock cement? ceramic?
New in the box ? .. Nice use it .
Montgomery Wards boiler ? ?
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Montgomery Wards boiler ? ?
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2
Re: Banging!!!!
The left of that pic goes toward boiler.
That elbow then on the right side of the picture slopes up and continues to the vertical pipe in the wall of first floor bathroom. It’s now propped up an inch or so
That elbow then on the right side of the picture slopes up and continues to the vertical pipe in the wall of first floor bathroom. It’s now propped up an inch or so

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Re: Steam Rads - Electric Conversion
North York in Toronto has all electric subdivisions. Reason why nobody knows nothing is that there's nothing to fix? Company making liquid filled baseboards was InterTherm in my day. RadiantSystemsInc was the company whose products I used for ceiling height panels. Need an electrician to bring power from floor level. When it comes to comfort a watt may not be a watt. If furniture obscures baseboard then high quality high temperature heat dissipates to lower temperature which may not feel warm unless you crank up thermostat. Radiant heat on the other hand makes you feel warm at lower air temperature.Thank you Jumper! I've learned a lot in this thread: mostly a watt is a watt is a watt (thank you solid fuel man)! Honestly, I'm lost here in Toronto, where electric heat really isn't really common like it is in Quebec--and I haven't been able to find good local advice. It's a substantial investment to install radiant, but I think worth it. My place is definitely not 2000 standards. Proper thermostats will probably be the biggest improvement. All my baseboards have knobs that seem to only set at medium and high. I just moved in last winter and am still getting a feel for my electricity bills. It's been a mild winter so far.
If your Toronto townhouse is up to Canada2000 standards, then it doesn't matter.

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Re: Dunham system with new boiler, banging in pipes
The banging is at two radiators- one on the second floor and one on the third floor, towards the end of the maini had banging also for years that woke me up every night. i finally fixed it. I made sure all the valves are working and opened all the way. I changed all my air vents to vent rites #1 adjustable so i can balance the system. I went to every radiator and pitched it correctly, and raised it and the pipes as high as i could get it. I switched to a vapor stat at 8 cut in and 14 cut out with a 1-3 PSI gauge.
I read through many posts here, consulted with the Lost Art of Steam Heating, and the Weil Mclain manual to determine that a single supply tapping of 4" is sufficient.
It looks like I should get a vaporstat, set to 8 oz, get a 1-3 psi gauge instead of 30 psi and check the traps on the far away radiators
My system now runs at about 4-6 ounces, depending on which air vents i opened or closed and banging is all gone.
I love this forum....

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Re: What do you call it?
Hmmm. I'm not sure some of the terms I use should be published…The electricians use a material that is a putty of sorts that is pressed into an opening where a wire may come out of a wall or meter socket. Early on, I have only heard of it referred to as Monkey $#*T.
I have purchased some of it at one time and said "I'll have some of that too" when another customer asked for it at the counter. It seems that plumbing supply house counter men did not know what I was talking about. This happened at an electric supply house
I have seen it on Supplyhouse.com https://www.supplyhouse.com/Rectorseal-81881-5-lb-Duct-Seal-Compound called Duct Seal Compound
Since then if have also hears other brands call it Thumb Gum But I believe you can clean it up by using Monkey Dung Once you start to type M O N K E Y, the suggestion for Dung may populate the search bar. or Monkey Stuff... You get the picture.
Respectfully yours,
Mr.Ed
Re: Best Valve Stem packing for Single Pipe Steam valve?
All good Luke!
That's an interesting approach! I would say you could wash the small nipples and fittings easy enough in a bucket with some Dawn. They won't have much oil on them anyway.
Sounds like you are picturing it correctly Here's a drawing anyway. If you make it this way, the "antler" horizontal will inherit the pitch from the main and it will drain correctly. This will help to keep condensation from splashing up into the vent.
r------/ <- vent goes here
|
|----main-----
|
|
I wouldn't want to have to skim the boiler, could I just burn off the oil from any new pipe outside with a propane torch?
That's an interesting approach! I would say you could wash the small nipples and fittings easy enough in a bucket with some Dawn. They won't have much oil on them anyway.
Sounds like you are picturing it correctly Here's a drawing anyway. If you make it this way, the "antler" horizontal will inherit the pitch from the main and it will drain correctly. This will help to keep condensation from splashing up into the vent.
r------/ <- vent goes here
|
|----main-----
|
|
Re: The $37 million steam trap
I tell customers that "we will do it right or not at all". If you want someone else who is less expensive to do it, go ahead. We will come back later to fix it right, and make even more money, because it's always more money to do it over, than to do it right the first time.

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Re: What is this ?
You know, when I look back on what we did when I was young... what my parents did... what their parents did...it's a wonder any of us are here to tell about it, never mind lived long enough to tell our children.
But... 3,000 years ago the Psalmist wrote "three score and ten is the measure of a man" (and added that some folks live another 20 years beyond). Our normal life span -- barring death from childhood infections, childbirth, and accidents hasn't changed. In 3,000 years. It's just that now we are terrified of living normal lives, and terrified of dying. We have to stop being afraid of living -- and accept that dying, like it or not, is something we'll all do someday. Think about it.
But... 3,000 years ago the Psalmist wrote "three score and ten is the measure of a man" (and added that some folks live another 20 years beyond). Our normal life span -- barring death from childhood infections, childbirth, and accidents hasn't changed. In 3,000 years. It's just that now we are terrified of living normal lives, and terrified of dying. We have to stop being afraid of living -- and accept that dying, like it or not, is something we'll all do someday. Think about it.
Re: Thermal steam images
that’s an awesome video steam head. I have a video of this job walking around the basement. I’ll take a vid walking around the house and share it.

2
Re: New Navien NCB 240E combi not reaching desired heat
That's a delta T of 14* which is pretty reasonable for milder weather. Judging from that, the boiler is not your problem. It's in your baseboards: they're either dirty, blocked off or under-sized for the area they serve.

1