Health concern in Steam?

Pete_35

Hey everyone, I have a health concern that I hope someone can clear up for me. My family and I are renting an old house and we have been living here for about 5 months. The weather has gotten colder so we have been using the heat. The heat is steam heat from an old steam boiler. For the last month, whenever we turned on the heat, all 3 bedrooms had very, very loud hissing noises from the pressure values on the radiators. It was so loud and there was so much steam escaping from the valves, that the steam was very visible and it was filling up the room and we would have to turn off the heat when we slept. This went on for 1 month. We just replaced all the pressure values this weekend and no more shooting steam in the rooms.

One night it occurred to me that the steam was being created from the water in the boiler. That water being dirty brown water from all the rust and other nasty things from the cast iron tank. This is the same dirty brown water that I have been flushing from the boiler about once a week as regular maintenance. So my concern and question is: since there was so much steam shooting in the air by escaping from the pressure values on the radiators in our bedrooms. Were we inhaling rust particles, asbestos, and/or other nasty things in the steam? (rust either from the brown water in the boiler being heating to create the steam or rust/asbestos in the pipes leading upstairs)

This has been on my mind for the last couple days and I've done research online but have not found any definite answers. If anyone is experienced in steam heat or has any great websites that will answer my concern, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Pete

Mike T., Swampeast MO

There's no way that the iron in the water could pose a problem. Iron is an essential nutrient in our body--especially our blood. Barring other problems, even terribly iron laden well water that looks slightly "rusty" is fit for consumption with the problem of AWFUL taste considered only aesthetic. Cooking our food in iron pots/pans is even considered beneficial as it actually adds iron to the diet.

Any asbestos in the system is on the OUTSIDE of the pipes or boiler. Even if the system leaks, the asbestos will be driven OUT -- not allowed in.

This is not to say that there is nothing wrong with your system--steam should NOT exit the vents. ONLY air should leave the vents. You're right that the steam is being produced from the water in the system, but think for a moment: the air in the system has been in contact with both the water and the steam and I have never heard of ANY sort of health problem caused by the air liberated from a steam system.

Again, your system certainly sounds to have some problems but those problems will only send you to the bank to get money to pay the fuel bills--they won't send you to the hospital...

gerry gill

how about

just replacing the bad air vents..problem solved..

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