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Many of the scoop type air eliminators that come across this list are not installed with 18-24" of straight pipe upstream. That lessens the efficiency of the scoop, as does over-pumping them..

I think if you install high efficiency type boilers, mod cons, then a microbubble type separator is critical.

Microbubbles against the paper thin metals used in some or the mod con designs need to be covered with water, not bubbles.

Considering the overall cost of a new boiler installation, adding a microbubble purger is a small cost adder.

It's not AI, I've posted in the group before. Yes I edited the post because I didn't want to come off grandiose saying a bunch of boiler techs still exist. The Main Wall is describe as being a place for general discussions. Don't think too deeply on this post it is simply just to "shoot the breeze" and discuss with people who actually discuss heating systems.

most new houses have very poorly installed hvac systems as well as all the other mechanical systems and terrible drywall installs and finish carpentry…

Or it could be converted to propane.

I have often thought about this and what kind of system I would install, but its more like a dream.

I have lived in houses with steam (first 3 houses growing up), oil fired+ my grandfather's house (coal fired), 1 with warm air (awful), and my own house for 33 years with BB hot water (monoflow). Electric heat now😖.

New England used to be over 80% oil fired so my first years working almost everything I worked on was probably 70-80% oil fired steam, some oil fired warm air and oil fired hot water. By contrast the company I was working for also had an office in Hartford which seemed to have a mix of steam, HW and warm air and the first gravity hot water system I ever saw.

Often thought about the "Iron Fireman" mini tube copper system like @gerry gill has used. I worked on one of those systems (also in Hartford) a larger system in a church.

I was very happy with my monoflow system for 33 years it was fine (except when having to bleed it 😔) Seldom ever had to do anything to it except replace the circ., expansion tank and PRV. It was a millivolt system.

I think I would go with the mini tube just to have something to fiddle with.

My HW system didn't break often enough😊

The eccentric homeowner has endless money made from stocks and bonds LOL.

Looking through some vintage Crane/American Radiator Company catalogs got me to wondering if steam is even still an option for new construction residential houses or even old houses undergoing major renovations (gutted to the studs)?

Keep in mind, location matters so I’m referring to Northeast/Midwest/Canada and other cold regions where -edited- professionals exist to install and service boilers. With this hypothetical scenario, money is no object for the homeowner. Use this image from Google as the theoretical new build house we are trying to heat with steam. 😃

From Crane brochure: