Flexible steam piping

David_54

Does anyone know of any flexible, pre-insulated piping that would be acceptable for low pressure <= 1lb steam, for residential use? I'd like something I could easily fish down an existing wall from second floor to basement.

nicholas bonham-carter

Is the route a straight shot down?
lengths of black pipe, with couplings could work.--NBC

KC_Jones

I'd have to look it up again, but there is stuff out there. Don't think it's pre insulated and you don't want to pay for it. It would be cheaper to build a new house (roughly speaking). We bought some for a test lab that needed vibration/movement isolation to get the steam into the test chamber.

Do you have an issue with running black pipe?

Canucker

We use braided stainless steel lines with a teflon coating inside for our flexible steam lines with flanged connections. Like @KC_Jones says, you don't want to know the price. I've never seen any of it pre insulated either.

jumper

Fish down some urethane hose. At one pound what's the worse that can happen?

izhadano

You can use silicon hose - good for -65° to 350°F (-53.9°C to +176.6°C). Many sizes to choose from. Will, definitely, work for your operating parameters.
Optionally, connect pieces of pipe with silicon hose, clamp them, insulate (if opening is big enough) and fish through wall.
Easy to assemble/disassemble/inspect/pitch. Bonus - pipe thermal expansion is compensated.

In this case "You can have it good, fast or cheap". Pick all 3

David_54

The silicon hose solution sounds interesting. Any recommended sources for hose, fittings, etc? It's just that I can't open up the wall to easily route black iron (which would be my first choice, btw). The upper and lower walls construction and its many windows dictate the need for an alternate solution.