Steam Pro in Seacoast/Southern NH

pcloadletter

I live in Portsmouth, NH and I'm looking for a steam professional in the seacoast or southern NH area. The closest I can find with the Find a Professional search are people in the Boston area. I don't really need any work done except PM since my system is fairly small and in good shape. I have a 6 radiator one-pipe system with a 10 y/o Peerless oil boiler with a natural gas Midco conversion burner. It works quite well and I've done some enhancements to the system (pipe insulation, low pressure gauge, etc.) to increase efficiency. The only project I see in the future is adding a radiator to the one of two upstairs bedrooms which does not have one.



I've owned the house for 5 years and have been using the same company who replaced the boiler for the PO as my go-to company for annual service, but I'm not happy with them. I'd like to find another company/technician locally that knows steam boilers and gas burners well.

Hap_Hazzard

Do they want to keep your business?

I don't know if you have the kind of relationship where you can talk to them, and this might not be the best time of year for it since they're probably busy as all get-out, but if you tell them you're not happy and considering going elsewhere, they might listen.



You're probably not their only steam customer, and I'd hope they could see the value in upping their game to keep you in the fold. I think Dan Holohan will only be offering his seminars for another year and nine months or so, so this would be a valuable opportunity for them to send one or two of their guys to get some of the best steam training ever offered when it comes to a city near you.

pcloadletter

They're one of those national chains

The existing company is one of those Service Experts shops that may have been a local shop years ago but I guess they got bought out by a national company.



Every year when I call to schedule a service appointment I tell them I need a technician that knows steam heat. The guy they sent out last year managed to short out my transformer while he was servicing the gas power burner. He may have known steam heat but he sure didn't inspire any confidence.



In addition they sent me a bill for the replacement transformer even though the tech noted on the invoice that he broke the old one. And their telemarketers kept calling me non-stop for a while to try and sell me more services.



I just want to find someone knowledgeable who does business the old fashioned way.

Hap_Hazzard

That's a shame.

I used to see that all the time when I was in the auto service industry. Local shops would get bought out by these chains and they guys weren't happy and didn't love their jobs anymore. Nobody does good work when their hearts aren't in it.



I had someone come out a couple of years ago that I found through Angie's List. I wanted him to check the burners and flue gases, but he was clearly psyched to be working on a steam boiler. We chatted a while and he told me he had taken one of Dan's courses, and he clearly knew his way around a steam system. So, you never know. Sometimes you get lucky. Have you tried Angie's List? Do you get any of those circulars with coupons from local small businessmen? Do you ever see plumbing and heating vans rolling through your neighborhood?