Residential steam boilers

Scrimshaw

I live in the Southeast where there's not a lot of boilers. I'm trying to find out, though, what percentage of new boilers put in homes (low-rise residential) are steam boilers. My guess is that the vast majority of boilers installed to heat a single residence, not a whole multifamily or commercial building, make hot water, not steam. I can't find the answer easily on the Web so I'm putting it out here to a group that should know.

SWEI

For new residential construction, that answer would be approximately zero. Even for restoration and rehab, still very,very low.

Robert O'Brien

5-7 % on Long Island, concentrated in the older villages. NYC is much higher, over 50% in Brooklyn and Queens

Larry Weingarten

Hello: I seem to remember talk here of the last person doing new steam heating in the US being in New York.... so I'm agreeing with SWEI, that is approximately zero percent of all new systems. ~~ Yours is a familiar face Scrimshaw!

Yours, Larry

Tim McElwain

Here in New England most steam boiler installations are replacing an older steam boiler. Just as an example there are approximately 2,500 steam boilers in the city of Providence. When federal money is made available for replacement the requirement is to replace the steam boilers with a warm air system. It is a shame and I certainly do not agree with that policy but that is your government for you.

ChrisJ

Tim McElwain said:

Here in New England most steam boiler installations are replacing an older steam boiler. Just as an example there are approximately 2,500 steam boilers in the city of Providence. When federal money is made available for replacement the requirement is to replace the steam boilers with a warm air system. It is a shame and I certainly do not agree with that policy but that is your government for you.

Scrimshaw

Thanks for the answers!

Robert, do you ever install steam boilers in new homes or would those numbers you gave refer to existing systems?

Larry, yes, I do believe we've met at a few conferences. I don't know if you've seen me with this nametag, though.

Robert O'Brien

Scrimshaw said:

Thanks for the answers!

Robert, do you ever install steam boilers in new homes or would those numbers you gave refer to existing systems?

Larry, yes, I do believe we've met at a few conferences. I don't know if you've seen me with this nametag, though.

No, no one does. Other than a few eccentrics, most of whom frequent this joint!

ChrisJ

Robert O'Brien said:

Scrimshaw said:

Thanks for the answers!

Robert, do you ever install steam boilers in new homes or would those numbers you gave refer to existing systems?

Larry, yes, I do believe we've met at a few conferences. I don't know if you've seen me with this nametag, though.

No, no one does. Other than a few eccentrics, most of whom frequent this joint!

I'll never own a home without steam. If it doesn't have steam when I buy it, it will when I'm done.

Abracadabra

Tim McElwain said:

Here in New England most steam boiler installations are replacing an older steam boiler. Just as an example there are approximately 2,500 steam boilers in the city of Providence. When federal money is made available for replacement the requirement is to replace the steam boilers with a warm air system. It is a shame and I certainly do not agree with that policy but that is your government for you.

Wow... nice!! Sounds like a great opportunity to pick up radiators really cheap

Robert O'Brien

ChrisJ said:

Robert O'Brien said:

Scrimshaw said:

Thanks for the answers!

Robert, do you ever install steam boilers in new homes or would those numbers you gave refer to existing systems?

Larry, yes, I do believe we've met at a few conferences. I don't know if you've seen me with this nametag, though.

No, no one does. Other than a few eccentrics, most of whom frequent this joint!

I'll never own a home without steam. If it doesn't have steam when I buy it, it will when I'm done.

As I said, except for a few eccentrics!

BobC

All the apartments and the houses I've lived in had steam heat, when I was a kid almost all the houses in the area had steam heat (houses built from the late 1800's to the 20's).

A disturbing trend is seeing houses bought and gutted with the steam systems being replaced with poorly done hot air because it's dirt cheap. I've seen this done on a dozen houses in a two block area over the last 8-10 years.

Bob

Tim McElwain

Wow... nice!! Sounds like a great opportunity to pick up radiators really cheap

You would think so but I know of several refinishing outfits who are selling radiators for as much as $800 each after they have been refurbished and made more decorative.

My grandson who own a construction and architectural company and does a lot of high end houses sees people putting these in as part of the emitter system for there new homes.

Tim McElwain

I might add some of those radiators that went from steam got refurbished and installed and pressurized with 12 to 14 lbs pressure on FHW system LEAKED!

KC_Jones

BobC said:

A disturbing trend is seeing houses bought and gutted with the steam systems being replaced with poorly done hot air because it's dirt cheap. I've seen this done on a dozen houses in a two block area over the last 8-10 years.

Bob

I feel sorry for those poor misguided souls.

vr608

Tim McElwain said:

Wow... nice!! Sounds like a great opportunity to pick up radiators really cheap

You would think so but I know of several refinishing outfits who are selling radiators for as much as $800 each after they have been refurbished and made more decorative.

My grandson who own a construction and architectural company and does a lot of high end houses sees people putting these in as part of the emitter system for there new homes.

When I was hunting for a new radiator as part of my renovation, I came across this video, and was drooling:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OBiasIlDjRQ

If I didn't already have steam heat I would have definitely looked into getting one of these converted units.

j a_2

Nobody, gives a crap about there heating system,and very few even look at it.....untill there cold, or the c o detector goes off and dinner out has to be canceled....Gee Mr home inspector said it was a beautiful system, now this greedy plumber says its in dire need of help....Dam plumbers..what do they know, bunch of thieves...