Steam Piping In Basement Slab?

MikeD

I recently did some excavation work in my basement. When I broke through I found a network of 2" pipe that had once been wrapped with some sort of covering, long since deteriorated. The pipe came up to the surface next to the steam boiler, close to where a return was, and at some point had been cut, no sign of a capped connection on the boiler return. Whoever put these slab pipes did it after the slab was poured, so they went to great trouble to cut a narrow trench in the existing concrete and patch over.

Anyone have an idea what this was for? My first thought was some sort of radiant heating for the basement, but I can't see how the condensed steam would return since the pipe was below the boiler.

Mike

Steamhead (in transit)

That was most likely

An abandoned "wet return". Rustiem im pace.

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