A Little Love 💕 for a 100 year old Steam System

Mad Dog_2

Mad Dog_2

Larry Weingarten

Hi, Just a little love? Looks like it needs a LOT!

Yours, Larry

Mad Dog_2

These nice older folks were told, the steam system was old and had to go!  It was banging horribly and gushing splooge out of the Varivalves on the first floor and the living room was cold 🥶 in the Winter. 

Alot of folks in the area, when they have been through the ringer with plumbers and contractors go to see Chris Smith at New Hyde Park (Christ ) Plumbing Supply (est. 1810).  Like Dan, he went to work with Dad as a teen and never left...40 yrs later.  He can be a little short with hapless, annoying Homeowners and DIYers, but he's a straight shooter so folks trust him...

There's nothing like a pre-qualified lead...They're sold on you, they aren't real concerned with the price, they just wanna know when you can start.  Exactly like the Leads that come from HH.com!  

No help on this one, which is fine. Just me and the radio 📻.   The ONLY time I need help is moving extremely heavy objects like boiler sections, et cetera.  The goal for the day was:

1) Cut out and replace 50 feet of 100 yr old wet returns in a nice finished basement.
2) Get off and replace 85yr old-looking
     Main steam vent (Pipe plug!) With a Gorton #2.  This is directly adjacent (3"s away from Friable asbestos).
3) Flush muddy boiler and replace all Vari-valves with Gorton.   
4) Make sure the oil steamer is running 🏃‍♂️ optimally..

I had to disconnect a Slop Sink, a Heavy Miele Washing machine & dryer and take off a platform, just so I could get the the 1" Black pipe return lying overnan oil line. 

As soon as I had access, I found a small ongoing oil leak.  Put a Ziti pan under it and the lady called the oil company...New tank this week.  Then I got my Trusty 3 M #77
Adhesive, rubberized spray encapsulant that we use in Asbestos abatement to bind the fibers in place.  

For once, the contractor had left access but it was a very tight, shallow closet.  Got the very old main vent off and all returns surgically excised without ruining the carpets with The Muddy splooge.  The wet returns had been flushed over the years and had only a slight case of  arterial sclerosis..not leaking either!

Went with 1" M Copper, installed two valves below the water line, one at the beginning of Wet Return and one on inlet to Hartford Loop and a 3/4" Boiler Drain for complete power-flushing of the returns.  

Took apart pigtail and nipple in to boiler..100% Clogged!  Although it was Southern Virginia Hot and muggy today, I ran till everything got hot.  From an ice 🧊 cold start, all rads were fully hot all the way across with new Gorton #2 main vent and Gorton rad vents in 20 minutes...Gotta love oil 🛢 fast lightning fast response!  

Flooded the system with a High head of water and got a ton of muddy splooge out of the boiler.  When I heard this thunderous footsteps 👣 on first floor, I remembered I left water feeder bypass on..oops 😬...Caught it with just a a few drops on floor upstairs.  Whew!!  

Put everything back in reverse, rolled up the very dirty and wet Red Rosin Paper, bundled up the pipe for them went home satisfied.  10 hour Blitz...No damage to nice finished basement.   Mad Dog 🐕 

Mad Dog_2

"HELLO LARRY!' (1970s show)...what time is it in California?   Yeah I hate when they pipe the boiler supply take offs like that...cracked section any one?  I took a picture of the 1/2" copper "loop" to nowhere...is it for drying off clothes?  Ha ha 😂 🤣 😆 😄 😅 Mad Dog 🐕 

Mad Dog_2

$450.00 in Gorton # 2 and Gorton Air vents..$500.00 is copper, valves, fittings, et cetera.  Money well spent. The Lady said she never saw everything get hot all the way across, silently, in record time!  Very gratifying for everyone.  I also gave her a copy of We got Steam Heat a few days before the job..."Wow...he's really funny, this writer!"  Then she said...."Yep...we had a Legion of "Knuckleheads" in here before..." Mad Dog 🐕  🤣 

Mad Dog_2

With a new "aortic"  return, new Main "pulmonary" vent  and radiator vents, the patient has a new lease on life.  Could go another 100!  As much as I don't like the near boiler header, it works  Where in California are you? Napa? Salinas?  Mad Dog 🐕 

Mad Dog_2

Mad Dog_2

The New Gorton # 2   King of All Vents!!  Mad Dog 🐕 

Steamhead

@Mad Dog_2 , that's a Utica or Columbia boiler, right? Back in the day, the manual actually had a piping diagram that was exactly like the header on that boiler. They must not have read @DanHolohan 's books back then..............

Mad Dog_2

Me thinks it was a Utica..Geez...Mad  Dog 🐕 

mattmia2

is that loop adding 2 pipe for something on 1 pipe? for expansion but not horizontal for some reason and a bit overboard? making a higher water line for something?

Mad Dog_2

Nope..its 1/2" Copper  Domestic water 💧 piping..I see no reason for it except to dry clothes by the boiler?  Mad Dog 🐕 

tim smith

Nice triple bypass Doctor!
T

nekdahl

Nice work!