Emergency! Please help!

Jim Bennett

You did the right thing shutting it off.

Keep warm,

jim

Joyce

Single Pipe Steam Boiler.. 1/4-1/2 inch of water in gauge glass

The water level is extremely low in our 1941 single pipe steam boiler. I have turned the heat off in the house so as not to ruin the furnace. How do I feed it more water? (I can't tell if it's fed automatically... it was at the half way point when we moved in a month and a half ago. I was gone for a couple weeks, just went down to check on it, and it's neary empty!...the water in the gauge glass, that is.

Steve Garson_2

Joyce:

Not a problem. As long as the boiler as been off for an hour or so, simply open the valve to add water to the boiler. There should be a valve connected to a thinner copper pipe that enters the boiler. Just open the valve slowly until the water reaches the middle of the glass.

Your boiler needs to be watched weekly to add water if needed and drain the safety float as well.

Buy one of Dan's books to learn how to take care of your boiler so you can avoid any problems.

Mark Hunt

Joyce


Any chance you could post some pics of your system?

It would help to steer you in the right direction faster.

If not, you should notice a pipe taht is MUCH smaller than the rest of the connected piping. It probably connects to one of the larger pipes near the bottom of the boiler. On that pipe there will be a valve that is closed. This will be the feed line. Open the valve and fill the boiler to the half-way point on the gauge glass.

We can walk you through this. No sweat!

Mark H

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Joyce

Steve, is this the valve I should turn?

Thank you so much for getting back to me so quickly! (And for the suppotive tone of your message.. I have been panicking!

I went down to the basement and looked. I found the copper pipe. Toward the top there is a green rubber- covered handle. It says Watts regulator on it and is in a horizontal position. Then down at the very bottom of the boiler there is a red knob. There is also a short hose attached to the red knob... one end attached and the other end sitting in a pail that the previous owners must have left.

Which one is the valve I should open (green or red)? Thank you so much... this really means A LOT!

Jim Bennett

Water level

Yes, as Steve says, there should be a water line attached to the boiler for adding water.

You may want to buy this book explaining residential steam systems. Learn how your boiler works and what you need to do to maintain it.

http://www.heatinghelp.com/shopcart/product.cfm?category=2-109

jim

Joyce

Mark,

Unfortunately I don't have my camera here. This thing is a dinosaur! I just wrote back to Steve about which of the two handle on that copper pipe I should turn. A green rectangular on toward the top of the pipe, or the red round one down toward the bottom. It sounds like the red one... is that right? Also, attached to the section where the red knob is there is a short hose attached. Should I expect water to come out of this?

You guys are so supportive; THANK YOU!!!

Joyce

Thank you JIM

I'm ordering that book as soon as I get this figured out! Obviously I should have long ago!! Thanks for the recommendation!

Steamhead (in transit)

The green one

sounds like the feed valve. It opens with a quarter-turn counterclockwise. I wouldn't open it all the way, you don't want to overfill the boiler. Fill it to halfway up the sight glass.

The red one with the hose on it is not a "valve", it's a drain so you can empty the boiler if needed.

Does your boiler have a low-water cutoff? If you're not sure, post a pic here.

Also, go to the online store of this site and get a copy of Dan's book "We Got Steam Heat!" which has the answers to this and a lot more.

Where are you located?

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Joyce

Steamhead,

Thank you. I will go turn the green one. The fact that the red one is a release explains the valve. I will get my camera tomorrow (it's at work) and post a pic of the boiler for you. I am in Central CT

Thank you for your advice, and the book title.

Mark Hunt

GREEN!


Open the green one.

You'll be warm in no time!!!

Mark H

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Joyce

I DID IT!! THANK YOU ALL!

The water is halfway up in the gauge!!! Thank you all so much for your help! For a first time homeowner who has never had steam heat... you just saved my furnace and my nerves!!!

I really appreciate it! This a great resource! I will pick up both books and make them must-reads!

Thanks Again,

Jim Bennett

Let us....

> Thank you. I will go turn the green one. The fact

> that the red one is a release explains the valve.

> I will get my camera tomorrow (it's at work) and

> post a pic of the boiler for you. I am in Central

> CT

>

> Thank you for your advice, and the book

> title.

Jim Bennett

Let us....

> Thank you. I will go turn the green one. The fact

> that the red one is a release explains the valve.

> I will get my camera tomorrow (it's at work) and

> post a pic of the boiler for you. I am in Central

> CT

>

> Thank you for your advice, and the book

> title.

Joyce

Thanks Mark!

You are the best! I can't thank you enough for your kind support!

Joyce

How do I drain the safety float?

Since I'm on a learning spree!

Brad White

In less than 30 minutes.....

Joyce got a flurry of the best heating minds in the country to get her heat back on....

Isn't Dan Holohan a mensch for creating this site?

Joyce

I had to look up mensch :=)
"a decent responsible person with admirable characteristics"

I think everyone on this site is a mensch (including, of course, it's creator!)!!!

Mark Hunt

You are


more than welcome!

You will LOVE the books Dan has written.

Tell your friends about this site too!

Best wishes!

Mark H

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