STEAM HEAT

ALH_4

You can do things to make your steam system more efficient, but I have a feeling that a big part of the problem is the heat loss. Get a handle on infiltration first. Seal everything that could possibly be leaking air. Insulate the attic as much as possible. If the walls do not have insulation, formulate a plan to insulate them too.

A fresh heat loss calculation is a must. This could be a moving target as you reduce the heat loss of the structure. Guessing or using rules of thumb are ok for getting a quick idea of what you are looking at, but for sizing the boiler a detailed calculation should be performed.

There are others here who have far more knowledge of steam than I, but you might install thermostatic radiator valves on the radiators to allow you to zone each room. Turning down some rooms will save fuel.

MR. G

KEEP STEAM OR REPLACE

I Recently purchased a three family property w/one gas/steam boiler so needless to say this winter "I lost my shirt". I cannot repeat this catastrophe next winter. What will be more feasible for me to do. Presently - 3 fam house - 80yrs old- one bolier 280,000 btu - I've been told I need to scrap or sell the boiler and install all new at about 110,000 btu each, maybe 80 or 90 btu on 3rd flr since it's smaller, or convert to hot water baseboard including new boilers. Can I make this work w/o scraping present boiler. Ultimately I'm broke and trying to save where I can and where it's smart. But it seems all the plumbers I've contacted have there own agenda before mine. At least that's the conclusion I draw when 4 different people give you 6 different answers.

Need Help
Mr. G

nicholas bonham-carter

steam heat

it seems like your choices range from making do with what you have to complete replacement.did you tell us what your boiler was?
why not check over the summer the following things:
1] is this boiler the correct size for your radiators?--dan's book [available here] will aid you in calculating this yourself.
2] is the water clean and at the right level?
3] are the steam mains insulated all the way to the returns?are the near boiler pipes properly installed?
4] is the gas burner clean and burning "blue"?
5] is your thermostat functioning properly [i got a honeywell vision pro and it seems to improve the temperature constancy].
6]is the pressuretrol set as low as possible [under 16 OUNCES is best]
all of these things can add up to fuel wasteage like frozen brakes or a dirty air filter on your car.any other system of heat is going to cost some $$$$$$$$$$ to run ,so before you throw out the old system make sure it is really unrepairable.
consulting one the pros listed on this site might be a good idea ,although you can do most of the above your self and get a real sense of accomplishment [and warmth !!] when its all done.let us know how it turns out--nbc

Steamhead (in transit)

Keep the steam

it is not inherently inefficient. Where are you located? have you tried the Find a Professional page of this site?

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

Brad White_185

Start there

as Andrew said, tighten up the house first. No need to spend money on a possibly more efficient bilge pump when your boat has large holes..... Tighten up your boat.

There is so much that can be done with a steam system to ease the operation. As Nicholas said, low pressure is key. Venting, pipe insulation, correct piping practices, a lot!

So as Steamhead asked, where are you located?