One Pipe Sizing

nicholas bonham-carter

if your vents are hissing chances are you have overly high steam pressure which has exceded the vents ability to function.
i suggest you check out the system pressure and make sure it is ounces first.--nbc

ctjomac

1950's Update...Pro's Opinion

We bought the house 3 years ago, small 2 story cottage, 100 square feet. Back then oil was reasonable, not today! From info. I pulled from this web site I have 384 sq. ft. of radiation. I have a one pipe steam system, with 2 mains, one in the front of the house and one following it in the rear. Each is about 30 feet in length with about the same amount returning, 1950's H.B.Smith oil fired boiler, net 405 sq. ft. radiation, using a beckett 1.25 burner nozzle.
We just had a NEW BABY GIRL~!...
I can't keep up with burning 200 gallons of fuel every 4 weeks and can't afford to purchase a brand new boiler. I have been asking around and found that there are alot of people switching to gas and I can pick up an 8 year old Weil Mclain P-SGO-3 358 square feet radiation for real cheap....any idea if it's worth the effort to save some fuel and be comfortable, or is it just too small?

Also after reading Dan's book on stem heat I noticed my main vents are at the end of the mains before they make a 180 back to the boiler and if I set the t-stat up 3 or more degrees the 2 radiators in the living room (closest to the boiler) hiss alot more than they probably should!