Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Really dumb question about steam boiler sizing. Burnham Megasteam options.

I have a decent sized house ... 3000+ sq ft. I outlined the # of radiators and the EDR in another thread, but it worked out to 351 sq ft.

I currently have a 713 sq ft late 60's early 70's American Standard steam boiler so it was almost exactly 100% oversized.

I'm looking at the Burnham Megasteam boilers. I think the MST396 would probably be a great replacement should I go that route.

My question is this.. What is the market for the larger models? When my radiators are cranking it heats the 3000 sq ft really nicely. I see Burham has a 513 and 629 sq ft option. Are these palaces?

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,223
    Sure you got the EDR right? That sounds a bit small for a house that size................
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • SteamingPile
    SteamingPile Member Posts: 14
    Steamhead said:

    Sure you got the EDR right? That sounds a bit small for a house that size................

    I should elaborate a bit... 11 radiators total for 2 floors plus a finished unheated walk-up attic equaling over 3000 sq ft. There is also a large 2nd floor master bedroom (15x25ft) which has baseboard electric heat.

    Since all that heat is rising it's quite comfortable in the attic. I also have a wood stove insert cranking most nights which helps quite a bit.

    11 radiators of varying types:
    40 sq ft hallway
    50 sq ft big kitchen
    34 sq ft small sitting room
    34 sq ft kid bedroom 1
    37 sq ft kid bedroom 2
    27 sq ft 2nd floor full bath
    34 sq ft upstairs office
    16 sq ft small 1/2 bath
    24 sq ft living room A
    24 sq ft living room B
    34 sq ft small 1st floor bed
  • ChrisJ
    ChrisJ Member Posts: 16,138
    Mine are oversized but I've got 392 sqft and the house is 1616sqft
    Single pipe quasi-vapor system. Typical operating pressure 0.14 - 0.43 oz. EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Control for Residential Steam boilers. Rectorseal Steamaster water treatment
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,223
    I would double-check those figures. Also include enough capacity to put a radiator in the master bedroom- it'll be much less expensive to heat that with steam as opposed to electricity. Do a heat loss on the space and convert it to EDR.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • JohnNY
    JohnNY Member Posts: 3,284
    I figure in exposed risers to my EDR calculations. Individually, they're small numbers but they add up.
    Contact John "JohnNY" Cataneo, NYC Master Plumber, Lic 1784
    Consulting & Troubleshooting
    Heating in NYC or NJ.
    Classes
  • nicholas bonham-carter
    nicholas bonham-carter Member Posts: 8,578
    Is this system one-pipe or two?--NBC
    ChrisJ
  • SteamingPile
    SteamingPile Member Posts: 14
    one pipe.

    The master isn't part of the original main house so there isn't a straight vertical run get a radiator in there. I'll have to go into the crawl space and double check.

    They added the electric baseboard before we moved in. I may install a 3 zone mini split in the summer for the 3 upstairs bedrooms.

    I'll double check the EDR #s.