one pipe steam heat

jOhn_225

Hi John,
My name is Frank. I recently purchased a house and it has a one-pipe steam heat system. Latin to me, but I'm slowly learning. I have a ton of questions but I'll save them for later. By the way, I've been reading this forum and it has helped so much.

Back to my topic, I have steam heat in my entire house except for an existing addition where the previous homeowner put in hot water base board in the kitchen and family room which are both on the first floor. The dining room and living room have baseboard steam heat which are also on the same floor as the kitchen and family room. The entire upstairs is a mix of steam radiators and steam baseboards.

My one problem is when my wife uses the stove, the kitchen gets hot and that heat carries over into the dining room therefore increasing the room temp. Now my upstairs remains colder because the system is not kicking on. The living room, which is next to the dining room, is completely open. The two rooms are separated by a couch.

I don't know where I should put my thermostat. Will a thermostat cover help with this problem? Or can I separate the steam into two zones, one for downstairs and one for the upstair? If so, is this expensive?

Thank you in advance for your assistance. Let me know if you need pictures to help with visualization.

mark ransley

Maybe move the thermostat and put in a TRV in the kitchen so it doesnt overheat

Fred Harwood_2

Thermostat

Where to put the thermostat is one of the basic considerations for any heating system. Look for a spot that avoids both people and appliances, but still can "see" each heating cycle. In other words, not over a radiator, but not in a room without one. Also, on an inside wall, and seal the wire hole so drafts don't affect it, etc.

It's an art.