Steam Heat in New Mexico

Save_Ferris

We moved to northern New Mexico and purchased a 100+ year old home 2 story home with a finished attic. It has a 2-pipe steam radiant system. I read the book "We Got Steam, Homeowners guide..." and think I have some problems, just not sure if they are major or if it just needs a few fixes which will guide me to a new system or just repairing this. We are paying an insane amount on our gas bill and the house is barely comfortable during the day and only in certain rooms. Also, I haven't found anyone in NM that works on these.

Thanks in advance for taking a look!

1. There are no main vents on the system, is this a special system that doesn't require?
2. The main supply does 360 on the two ends of the supply and becomes the return, not sure if that is correct?
3. There is a Hydronic Expansion Tank coming off the return right before it goes back to boiler, not sure purpose of that?

Jamie Hall

Can you provide a picture of a typical radiator? And a close up of the inlet valve and whatever outlet fittings there may be? And can you provide a clear picture of what actually happens at those locations where you mention the steam main turns back and becomes a "return"? I really need those.

I also need a photo of the front of the boiler, with any controls or devices which may be on it.

Are there any vents anywhere on the system? On the radiators? On any of the pipes?

I have no idea what the hydropneumatic tank is for... unless...

I must say that if your diagram is reasonably accurate -- and I have no reason to suppose it isn't -- it's a wonder this thing works at all. In some ways, though, it almost looks like it might be -- or have been -- a gravity hot water system, and not steam at all.

Steamhead

First time I've seen a Slant/Fin Galaxy steamer with a welded header. And they did it wrong.

The controls for this boiler are on the right-hand side. Let's see a view of that side, as well as some radiators.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@Jamie Hall I was thinking gravity water as well until I blew up the picture.....there is a Pa404A pressure control just below the gauge so it looks steam to me.

Don't know what the expansion tank is for..........

I still don't know it it's a water or steam system or a water or steam boiler

With those old banded type fittings this is pre 1920

Save_Ferris

@Jamie Hall ,@Steamhead and @EBEBRATT-Ed Thank you for your responses. Here are some more photos as asked for.
Basically, there was only one vent on a radiator in one of the rooms and I added one more to the 3rd floor radiator, the rest are shut with valves I can open. The radiators that have the vents do make a hiss noise and then close up when it gets warm (when it does).:

1. Here area photos of a couple of radiators:






2. Here is a closeup of the inlet valve (hope this is correct):


3. Here is a photo of the pipe from underneath it. The pipe just turn back and then returns to the boiler:



4. Here are photos of where the devices are on the boiler:

Steamhead

@Jamie Hall may be correct. The radiators you posted look like they were originally installed as gravity hot-water. Notice how the inlet and outlet on the radiator are the same size, and there don't appear to be any traps on the return connections. On steam, the return would be smaller.

I've seen this before in a couple houses in Baltimore, but in those cases, radiator traps were installed.

You clearly need a pro to look at this. Have you tried the Find a Contractor page of this site?

Save_Ferris

Unfortunately nothing comes up for the area.  An electrician gave me a number last week, I’ll try and give them a call.  Thank you again for the help

bburd

The older vents on some of those radiators look like manual hot water air bleeders, not steam air vents. The piping looks like gravity hot water piping, especially since the pipes are of equal size on both ends of the radiators.

I hate to say this, but it looks like someone installed a steam boiler on a hot water system. I’m not surprised it doesn’t work very well. It’s not the first time we’ve seen this either.

If so, it’s probably possible to modify the near-boiler piping and trim to convert it back to hot water.

DanHolohan

I think this began its life as gravity hot water. At some point, someone decided it was steam. 

HVACNUT

I'd have to ask my kids because I'm still not always sure when to apply it, but I think the boiler now needs to be referred to as "they".

Jamie Hall

Well... I have a notion we're all pretty much agreed on this. Question now is... what to do about it? You would think, with Los Alamos and Sandia hanging around, that there would be the capability to restore this, but... I'm not so sure. And I'm not sure we've ever had anyone from New Mexico before?

Suggestions on where and how to begin here? Which a decent plumber could follow?

HVACNUT

What would be the the preferred method, if there's enough information to go by in the pics; gravity again, or pipe in a circulator?

DanHolohan

Turn it back into a hot water system. 

Save_Ferris

Thanks everyone!  Truly appreciative.  There is someone in town that actually said they wouldn’t work on steam systems but would do conversions to hot water systems, I’ll give them a try.  

DanHolohan

Send them them here if they want to talk details. Thanks. 

HVACNUT

DanHolohan said:

Turn it back into a hot water system. 

Yes, but would you add a circulator?

pecmsg

ASSUMING the piping haven’t changed, yes. Like this house. 100 year old Thatcher coal fired , converted to oil. I ripped out all the 3, and 2” pipes in the basement but kept the 3/4” risers to the 2nd floor. Zoned 1st fl, 2nd floor. That was 20 years ago. 

DanHolohan

Yes, I would have a circulator. And I would measure the amount of water in the system before selecting the compression tank.