Homeowner needs help optimizing 2 pipe steam system in Iowa

Stardance

Have a couple 2 pipe steam radiators located on second floor of 1925 build home that are only partially heating. One local HVAC contractor told me to partially close the first floor radiators to fix the problem and that didn't work. Contractor then said there was no solution and I should replace with a new HVAC. I am suspicious of his opinion.
Now I don't know who to talk to locally since there aren't any contractors in my area (Fairfield, Iowa) listed on this website.
Do I need to absorb the info in the book "The Lost Art of Steam Heating" before I talk with another local heating contractor or can someone on this forum help me virtually?
Thanks.

neilc

Yes, read that book, read "We've Got Steam " first,

are these rooms comfortable, keeping temp ?
steam does not necessarily need to heat a complete rad to be effective.
post a picture of the rad(s)

is the whole house 2 pipe?

what pressure is the boiler getting up to ?
picture or 2 of the boiler, floor to ceiling, showing the pipes above,
and of any odd devices that might be there,

EBEBRATT-Ed

Yes @Stardance

post some pictures and we can help you out

Stardance

Rooms are comfortable except for upstairs where 2 rads are barely working. Boiler pressure looks to be around 1 or less. Whole house is 2 pipe. Reference the following photos.

neilc

that boiler does not look correctly piped above it,
get a better shot or 2 of the 2 pipes coming out of the top of the boiler, and if they connect and how, and if they connect back down to the return piping,

and you have one of those thinga majigs I know little about,
so I'll let others comment more

Steamhead

This is probably a Trane Vapor system. The cylindrical device in the third pic is probably a Trane Direct Return Trap. @Stardance , is there a label on it?

If it is a Trane, you can read more about it here:

https://heatinghelp.com/heating-museum/trane-heating-specialties-for-vapor-and-vacuum-systems/

If radiators aren't heating, I'd suspect the vent at the end of the dry (overhead) return isn't working properly. All the air from the radiators goes out through this vent.

Stardance

Thanks, @Steamhead. Yes it does have a Trane label on it. I found 4 other devices in lines close to the Trane trap. Here is what they look like.

Steamhead

Those are main vents. And they look too small.

How long is each steam main, and what pipe size?

The Steam Whisperer

You may need to get a vaporstat on that system. If the pressure gets too high (originally about 8 ounces) the original trane return air vent may close because water backs up into it when pressures are too high. If you measure in inches from the boiler water line to the height of the Trance return air vent and divide by 28, you'll get the maximum pressure the system can operate properly.