Steam system piping?

ERIC STONG

I WAS OUT AT A CUSTOMERS HOUSE RECENTLY AND NOTICED THESE PIPES CAPPED NEAR THE FLOOR.CUSTOMERS HAD JUST BOUGHT THE HOUSE AND COULDN'T SAY WHY THEY WERE THERE OR HOW THEY BECAME CAPPED.SO I'M LOOKING FOR SOME HELP.CAN ANYONE EXPLAIN THERE FUNCTION? ALSO WHY THEY COULD HAVE BEEN CAPPED..............THANKS

ERIC STONG

John S.

looks like maybe...

the system used to have a wet return. hard to tell without more info. two-pipe steam system? Are there traps or vents on the radiators? Are there traps at the end of the steam mains? Have main vents and return vents been installed?

A picture of a couple radiators from different angles might help as well.

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ttekushan

drip loop

The larger of the two pipes is the main. The smaller of the two is the "dry" return. A dry return means that the return pipe is above the boiler water level and therefore also given the duty to expell air from the system on start-up. Now we usually see a typical "drip station" sort of setup in these instances where there is a steam trap connecting this drip to the dry return (also providing air venting of the main). But this shows up sometimes too. Just saw one of these a couple of weeks ago.

The main is vented like it would be in a one-pipe system; the dry return is vented far from the boiler, because it probably goes "wet" i.e. below the water line somewhere before reaching the boiler, often under the basement floor.

ANNNND... the capped line is a water seal that keeps live steam from reaching into the dry return. The cap is in lieu of the valve you see on one of the other water seals. this is primarily a clean-out. I recommend cleaning it out! A lot of crud settles in there. If there's enough blockage in those seals the main can get water logged and clank.

PS if there is a lot of water mysteriously disappearing from the system be suspect of any lines that are buried below the floor.

PPS I recommend Dan's book, "We Got Steam Heat! A homeowner's guide to peaceful coexistence"

ttekushan

by the way-

I know you probably know a bunch of this stuff- but I think the new homeowners will appreciate such explanations.

DanHolohan

Probably

the pipes from radiators that someone removed.