Add radiator to steam riser?

six_story

Is it possible to add a radiator to a steam riser?
If so, I'm looking to hire someone for the job. The co-op will approve if it is done by-the-book.
I live on the 3rd floor of a 6-story building in Upper Manhattan. We have a single-pipe steam system. Just before I moved in they installed sensors around the building. In my apartment they provide just barely enough heat for the NYC heat laws. 55-degrees at night and 68 in the day is cold - too cold. Occasionally it drops below 55 at night but not long enough to get someone there for a legitimate - just enough to be frozen in my home.
The larger bedroom - 12 ft by 13 ft - has NO radiator, only a riser. The smaller bedroom - 9 ft by 12 ft - has a decent sized radiator, 8x16x38". This project would involve adding a radiator to the room with no riser. None of the other apartments along this riser have a radiator - I would pay for this project myself, and it would only be in my unit.
I think this apartment line is the only one in the building with heat issues. In every other apartment line there are radiators in all rooms.

Fred

I assume that is probably a 2" riser that is suppose to heat that room and that it has no insulation on it? If so, it should not be an issue to add a radiator to that riser. If for some reason it is insulated, try taking the insulation off. Keep in mind if they turn the boiler off at night or have a set back that is 55 degrees, the radiator isn't going to help because there won't be any steam anyway. You'd be better off spending your money on a seperate electric heater of some type.

six_story

Thanks for the reply.
Yep, it's a 2-inch riser, not insulated.
Good point about the building system. I would change the boiler settings if I could. However, it does go on in the middle of the night sometimes; there is no hour that it seems to always be off... rather it's just not enough heat. A radiator for the larger bedroom room will still be worth it - that room is 7+ degrees colder than the rest of the apartment most times of day. It never gets warm enough, whereas the rest of the apartment is sometimes ok.

Most places I've lived in have been 1-pipe and this is the only place where the radiators seem to only get warm, and never seem to get very hot. The valves are supposed to be new, but maybe I should look into that too? Is there any other reason why the radiators and risers would be warm not hot?

Anyone interested in the job of adding a radiator to the riser, please let me know. I will need to get board approval and possibly wait until the weather warms up a bit before I'm allowed to do the job, but I'm definitely interested in doing it as soon as I'm allowed to.

KC_Jones

One word of caution. If you aren't getting good heat overall adding a radiator might not help. In other words the radiator needs steam to work, if you aren't getting a good supply of steam then that rad will just sit there cold still not giving you heat. Do you have data about how the rest of the building is heating? Are all rooms and all apartments a similar temperature? Do any people open windows because of excess heat? Do any people have extra heaters because of lack of heat? I would suggest you do some homework before you spend money adding a radiator. You need to KNOW before you put it in that it will solve the problem. Finding out after the fact won't help and if it doesn't get steam after the fact then you are exactly where you started. I would do some homework before I looked for someone to do this job.

KC_Jones

I would also add that with a new rad with a vent you will change the balance on the system so you could effect your neighbors. Again this falls into the category of researching what needs done. I would find a good steam pro to come in and evaluate what your problem is and have them make a recommendation. You want someone that is a steam expert. Not sure of your exact location in Manhattan, but I grabbed a random zip and got this hit on Find a Contractor. @EzzyT do you service Manhattan? Great steam guy.
https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/corrado-p-mastropaolo-inc

EzzyT

@KC_Jones unfortunately I don't service the NYC area but do consult. Once I have obtained a NYC plumbing license Then I'll will be servicing the NYC area.

jonny88

I thought if it is mechanical a NYC plr lic is not required.To my knowledge you can do service and heating but nothing requiring a permit such as a boiler install or plumbing??I may be wrong.I believe that is why we see so many piping and heating trucks they are not allowed to say plumbing.I would look into it Ezzy.

six_story

Thank you for all your replies. I've already begun requesting permission for this work in concept. Once the board agrees to the idea then I'll be ready to move forward. It could spurn the neighbors on this apartment line to ask for radiators in their apartments at the same time.
FYI - the co-op is actually two adjacent identical buildings (exact same floor plan) that I believe were originally separate buildings. At some point, however, the heating system was combined, and now one boiler serves both buildings.
In the adjacent building, on this identical line of apartments there is a radiator in the room where I want one to be added. I think that's how it was meant to be, and my guess is that during a building-wide renovation the radiators were removed from this line, likely without good reason. (Throughout the building every other bedroom has a radiator, including ones that are half the size of this one). The fact that there are radiators in all rooms along this apartment line in the adjacent building may bolster my argument that this work should be done.

Fred

Do you see any markings on the floor anywhere in your bedroom that might indicate there was a radiator there? If the floors were refinished or laminate installed over the original floors, it may not be obvious but it is very possible the steam supply for a radiator mey be just under the floor and capped off if/when they removed the radiators. I'd be looking for some indication near that steam riser or in a location similar to those bedrooms that still have rads.