One-pipe Riser Reroute Headache

lowballj

Putting an addition on my house to expand the kitchen and connect to the family room. Riser to the bathroom radiator above the kitchen is in the way and needs to be rerouted.
Contractor in charge of the project said his plumber "is the best" "knows steam" "deals with it all the time" "can bang this out no problemo"
What I ended up with... 1/2" copper pipes, lots of elbows, and questionable pitch.
Already called up the steam experts near me to come re-do it.

I assume the previous pipe diameter was 2"... should I try to keep it the same?
If horizontal pipes are correctly pitched, are two 90 degree elbows near each other ok? I worry about condensate and steam collision, especially with smaller diameters.
Before and the current "after" pictures attached

lowballj

@Danny Scully left you guys a voicemail

Snowmelt

That sucks

Jamie Hall

Well... what was put in will never work... not that there aren't ways it could be done, and if you can get @Danny Scully on the job, he will fix it for you.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Your contractor and his plumber don't know anything about steam

Illinoisfarmer

Not to nit pick, but it also looks like that 1/2" pex has a LOT of 90s. Looks like seven 90s and a coupler on the cold side. I guess they had to make it fit, but that seems excessive. Better hope someone doesn't flush the toilet while you're in the shower!

dopey27177

There are to many horizontal runs for a 1/2" pipe to work. To much condensation will run down that riser. The banging will be horrific and you will get no heat to the radiator.

What you may get away with is an 11/2" riser and a a 3/4" return piped to the wet return. Or pipe the return to the dry return using a water seal before tying into the dry return. Do not use a steam trap.

see attachment

Jake

Water seal taken from my book

Steam the perfect fluid for heating and some of the problems.

Danny Scully

Looking forward to correcting it!

ethicalpaul

I hope to see the "after after" pics!

dopey27177

Forgot to send you a guide to horizontal run outs based on the edr of a radiator. Based on what I see you have several horizontal run outs.
Hope that will be helpful for your project.

Jake

BillyO

Jesus, what did that poor pipe every do to deserve that!!!!!

Danny Scully

Done 😎

dopey27177

great job. No shortcuts or copper pipe,

Jake

mattmia2

If that pex is feeding a full bathroom group, wouldn't the code tables say it needs to be min 3/4" id?