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Wanted: a hot shower

Skindel
Skindel Member Posts: 14
in Strictly Steam
I use steam heat and the only way to a get a realiable, hot shower is to turn the heat on for a few minutes, so my boiler turns on. Otherwise, the water is lukewarm at best. In the winter, it's not a huge deal, but I prefer not running the heat before showering in the summer. Is this connected/standard to using steam heat and how the boiler opperates or is this just my system?

Comments

  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,462
    I am wondering couple things.
    -Water level in boiler.
    - proper aquastat setting on the boiler
    - if the coil is partially plugged/ limed up
    STEVEusaPA
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,495
    Have you checked the setting on the aquastat that controls the hot water temperature? It's also possible the hot water coil has become limed up which makes it less efficient.

    As to not wanting to run the steam boiler in non heating months you could install an electric hot water heater after the coil in the boiler and rely on it alone in non heating months and only sporadically during the heating season. If you had natural gas a gas hot water heater would be cheaper to run.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,525
    Is there even an aquastat? One has to wonder...

    What is the fuel for your boiler? Oil or LP or natural gas? Any one of the three can also power a stand alone water heater, which could be more economical.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England

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