Steam heat on when water heater in use

M Travers

This really stinks when it's summer...
Anyway, the system is only about 4 years old, and is oil fired, single pipe steam heat. This is the first year that I have noticed this. The radiators heat up so much, touching them is not an option. This occurs only on the first floor. There is no pressure in the system, as the valves on the radiators do not release. I assume that heat is escaping through the pipes and travelling north.
Is this normal?
What can be done to eliminate this?

Thanks in advance,
Matt

Leo

Raise the Water Level

Raise the water level to roughly an inch below the top of the gauge glass. If you have an automatic feeder they only keep the boiler to a minimum level. Make sure your system has no leaks. What you are experiencing is the system is running long enough to make hot water and it is just barely beginning to steam. Adding water works in customers homes and my own home.

Leo

DanHolohan

Matt,

is the water heater a coil inside the steam boiler? If so, the problem may be that there's either a bad aquastat, or there is no heat-transfer grease in the aquastat's well.

Brad White_91

I agree with the other replies-

You may want to adjust your aquastat (the one I presume is embedded in a well at the immersion DHW heater) and see if the boiler responds to it (shuts off when the limit is lowered). If not, check if it has thermal paste (vaseline works in a pinch, just do not let it touch rubber gaskets).

The setpoint should be not over 200F, well below steam generation. What does your boiler thermostat (if any) say?

My guess it is the A-stat gone bad given that it worked for three-plus years up until now.