Help finding a pro

Mad Dog!!!!!!!!

It would be a BIG plus if HE!!!!!! Has read and owns Lost Art and We got Steam Heat!...and if He has Ever Heard od Dan and those books....BIGGER plus, He comes to The Wall and is willing to learn. There will be a "profile" of two types of people who can and will fix it back to what it should be: Person A: An experienced STEAM pro who can provide you with atleast a few solid references of successful jobs. Person B: An Eager, stubborn, and willing person with good mechanical skills who looks at this like an adventure, will "devour" those books and even be willing to come to the wall for help. Either will get you there. Some of the Steam pros do long distance consults. I have driven up to 4 hours away myself (steamhead wil go ANYWHERE!!) to look over the job, write up a report, do some simple isometric drawings that the homeowner can then take and then find just a good honest local plumber to follow the recommendations. A few phone callsa, emails and hand-holding are par for the course but it has always worked out well for ALL. Qeustion is.....where are you and who is the nearest, really good steam pro for you? Mad Dog

John_102

Help finding a pro

I’m a homeowner, frequent lurker, & occasional poster on this website. Sorry for the longish post – believe it or not, I’ve edited it down.

My 40-year-old boiler is worn out after years of nursing it along. Searches at the Find-A-Pro feature turn up no steam pros in my area. I have talked with a pro who frequents this site. He is willing to work with me if we can agree financially; but, professional that he is, he recommends I try to find a qualified person closer to home since he is out of state & more than 100 miles away. After years of intermittent search, thanks to an excellent forced air guy & a supply house, I may have found a local steam pro.

I’ve been at this point before and I’ve met a number of knuckleheads & charlatans. I’m willing to pay someone for his expertise (I’m in an unrelated industry, but the analogies to yours are strong). I don’t want to waste my time, his time & any more money talking to someone who can’t do the job and do it right.

My question to the Wall is what recommendations can you make to help me filter the good from the bad? I’ve read (& continue to study) We Got Steam Heat & The Lost Art. Obviously, if he sizes the new boiler by the plate on the side of the old one or by the size of the door to the basement, he’s disqualified. I expect him to calculate EDR. What else should he do? I’m not trying to set traps for him; I’d like to be an educated consumer & a reasonable customer.

Thanks & peace.

Mitch_6

Check with manufacturers reps

they sometimes have local companies that trouble shoot for them, if the rep trusts them they should know what they are doing.

Other than that you seem to know what you are looking for.

Mitch S.

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Tom_21

John..I don't know where you live?..City, State?...Tom

Noel

This is from Dan's Hot Tech Topics

Replacing Your Old Steam Boiler?

John_102

Thank you, gentlemen -

Mitch, Tom, Mad Dog & Noel (& Dan, of course).

The tech topic is great. Dan's usual concise language brings clarity to the old brain. It should help me ask the questions I need to ask.

I'm in western SC - Greenville. The one successful hit on FAP in my area focuses on hot water, I believe. Jeff Lawrence is the out-of-state pro I've had an e-mail conversation with.

The guy I've recently discovered seemed at least aware of some steam issues, more than I can say for anyone else I've found around here, except for the forced air guy I mentioned in my initial posting. He knows more than any combination of the last four yahoos I've paid, but he also knows his limitations & probably doesn't see any future in learning about steam. I didn't suggest to him the Wall as a resource, but I got the impression he really likes ac, etc. (This IS South Carolina.)

The manufacturers rep route is probably a good one, but I'm loathe to contact a manufacturer unless I'm certain I'm buying HIS boiler. Since a certain triple pass boiler isn't marketed for LPG, I'm fairly open to boiler alternatives.

Again, thanks.

Ken_40

This should help.

http://www.masterplumbers.com/plumbviews/2004/good_contractors.asp

Noel

Some of us here are reps....

To be completely honest about it, here is our offering.

gas fired steam boilers

Noel

John_102

Again, thanks

Ken & Noel, I've book-marked both references (& printed the Galaxy dimensions). I'll study both & head down to the basement with a tape & the dimensions. I'm scratching together a brief (?) description of my current system & what I hope to do - that might help a prospective installer decide whether the job interests him.

Mad Dog_2

My friend David Broome is from SC..........

Have you found him? He is a great plumbing, heating and ac guy. Atleast he is in your state. Mad Dog

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