Wet return broken pipe

Steamhead (in transit)

why is there a tank in the first place?

As originally installed, I bet it didn't have a tank. The water would flow thru the wet return back to the boiler by gravity.

Many tanks and return pumps are installed without being necessary. Noel and I have removed a bunch. We replace them with pipe, which is what you need. No traps or tanks.

Where are you located? If you're in or near Baltimore, contact us.

"Steamhead"

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linda schu

Wet return broken pipe

I have a large old home built around 1905 with a one pipe steam system. The system had been working fine until this early spring when we were cleaning in the basement and pried against a pipe running across the floor tight to the wall trying to get some debris out from behind it. It cracked and started leaking. We contacted a large contractor as they are supposed to be experts in steam heating as one of their major fields of work. The mechanic they sent insisted that a system steam trap had to be installed to stop the steam from flowing back to the tank and venting. I wanted to know why they could not just fix the broken pipe as the system had worked fine for years before the pipe was broken. He had several reasons that they did not do things like that and that the broken pipe had nothing to do with the steam venting problem.
I did not believe him and through friends found a retired plumber who told us to manual fill the wet return with water and see if this stopped the steam from passing through, which it did, until the water leaked out of the pipe several hours later. The mechanic still insists that the wet return pipe being cracked has nothing to do with the venting and banging problems we are now experiencing. The question is, why can't the system work with the wet return acting as the trap like it used to according to the retired gentleman, and are the major modifications necessary? Also, what problems will be encountered if the water continues to leak?

linda schu

Wet return broken pipe

I have a large old home built around 1905 with a one pipe steam system. The system had been working fine until this early spring when we were cleaning in the basement and pried against a pipe running across the floor tight to the wall trying to get some debris out from behind it. It cracked and started leaking. We contacted a large contractor as they are supposed to be experts in steam heating as one of their major fields of work. The mechanic they sent insisted that a system steam trap had to be installed to stop the steam from flowing back to the tank and venting. I wanted to know why they could not just fix the broken pipe as the system had worked fine for years before the pipe was broken. He had several reasons that they did not do things like that and that the broken pipe had nothing to do with the steam venting problem.
I did not believe him and through friends found a retired plumber who told us to manual fill the wet return with water and see if this stopped the steam from passing through, which it did, until the water leaked out of the pipe several hours later. The mechanic still insists that the wet return pipe being cracked has nothing to do with the venting and banging problems we are now experiencing. The question is, why can't the system work with the wet return acting as the trap like it used to according to the retired gentleman, and are the major modifications necessary? Also, what problems will be encountered if the water continues to leak?

Noel

The first guy shouldn't put a \"master trap\" in.

Sight unseen, the second guy seems to be more correct.

Only fix the pipe, first, and trouble shoot from there.

Noel

Dean_7

steam

I'm just a homeowner who happens to have a one pipe steam system. You need to do a couple of things. First buy Dan's books "We Got Steam Heat" and "The Lost Art of Steam Heating". This will enable you to understand your system better than most contractors. Second when Steamhead or for that matter anyone of the people here who do steam heat tells you what to do LISTEN to them. Their advice enabled me to restore my steam system and have saved me enough money in fuel costs to pay for my new boiler in 2 1/2 years.