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Steam Pipe Insulation in basement - will it cause another issue?

tomp1987
tomp1987 Member Posts: 2
edited November 2023 in Strictly Steam
Have a gas steam Dunkirk boiler in my basement - new ownership. None of the steam pipes are insulated. Small house, only has 6 radiators. Reading up on steam boilers and see that insulating the pipes help improve system performance. Have started that project but then realized that without the insulation, obviously my unfinished basement gets warm with all the pipes hot. My concern is will insulating the pipes make my basement cold enough in the winter that I then need to be concerned about my separate copper water lines freezing? Am I fixing one issue only to create another? Reading that basements typically do not get below 40 degrees even in the dead of winter. I'm wondering if insulating say 80 percent of the footage of bare steam lines would give me 80 percent better heat loss performance but still maintain 20 percent "warmth" in the basement to prevent any freezing. Or does the heat loss math not work out that simply. Have been in the house 3 years and like I said, without the insulation on the steam pipes, the basement definitely stays warm.

Comments

  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 6,659
    edited November 2023
    It won't freeze, but it will freeze faster in case of loss of heating (but heat comes from the earth into your basement in that case, so it's not usually a concern unless the house is unheated for a long time). It might make a slightly noticeable difference in the comfort of some of your floors, depending. It will be noticeably cooler in the basement.

    But for more information...where do you live??

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

    tomp1987
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,378
    edited November 2023
    The radiant heat from the pipes in the basement will undoubtedly create a warmer basement. Is the warmth wasted? Some folks have the washing machine in the basement and use the unfinished basement for other recreational uses, The warmer basement will also keep the first floor warmer.


    If the basement is truly an unused space and the heat down there is wasted, then insulating those pipes will reduce the amount of gas used. But will that create an ultra cold basement? Possibly, But that can be measured on the coldest days of the winter. When you hear the forecast for those teens or single digit overnight temps, or even below zero... (we are talking Farenheight here) place a thermometer at the location of the pipes you are worried about and see what the temperature is.


    It could be that leaving some uninsulated sections of steam main is all that is necessary.

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    tomp1987
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,378
    edited November 2023
    I have no idea how this second post happened

    I guess my thumbs are too big
    The radiant heat form the pipes in the basement will undougtledy create a warmer basement. Is the warmth wasted heat? Some folks have the washing machine in the basement and use the unfinished basement for other recreational uses. The warmer basement will also keep the floor, on the first floor, warmer.

    If the basement is truly an unused space and the heat down there is wasted, then insulating those pipes will reduce the amount of gas used. But will that create an ultra cold basement? Possibly, But that can be measured on this coldest days of the winter. When you heat the forecast for those teens or single digit overnight temps, or even below zero... (we are talking Fahrenheit here) place a thermometer at the location of the pipes you are worried about and see what the temperature is.

    It could be that leaving some uninsulated sections of steam main is all that is necessary.


    "NEVER MIND"

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    tomp1987Intplm.
  • AdmiralYoda
    AdmiralYoda Member Posts: 683
    My house is 130+ years old. The basement is fairly well sealed up but by no means like a much newer home. When we moved in the steam pipes had no insulation and the basement would be in the 80's. After installing 1/2" insulation it stays around 60. If it super cold out the boiler is going to be turning on more often and the giant chunk of cast iron will still heat the basement.

    I also heated exclusively with our wood stove on the main floor one winter when money was tight. Even when it was -10 outside for an extended time the basement never got below 40.

    I'd go with 1" insulation. Seal up your basement as good as you can and you should be fine.
    ethicalpaulEdTheHeaterMantomp1987
  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 24,837
    It will make the basement a little cooler -- but unless you are up in the Northwest Territories somewhere, it's unlikely to freeze or even get much below your average year round temperature. What it will do is save some fuel -- and get heat to your radiators upstairs faster.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    tomp1987ethicalpaulEdTheHeaterMan
  • tomp1987
    tomp1987 Member Posts: 2
    All great answers - much appreciated guys. And I'm in the Southeast Pennsylvania area.
    EdTheHeaterMan
  • ethicalpaul
    ethicalpaul Member Posts: 6,659
    Do you even have winter there now? :wink:

    NJ Steam Homeowner.
    Free NJ and remote steam advice: https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/new-jersey-steam-help/
    See my sight glass boiler videos: https://bit.ly/3sZW1el

    EdTheHeaterMantomp1987
  • KC_Jones
    KC_Jones Member Posts: 5,839
    South central PA here 120+ year old house. All pipes insulated, my basement is a workshop that I use regularly. Be feel alone, it’s never cold down there, I can usually work in a T-shirt in the winter. Unless we get steady 15 or less for several days, then a sweatshirt may be needed. And that doesn’t happen very often.

    You'll be fine.
    2014 Weil Mclain EG-40
    EcoSteam ES-20 Advanced Boiler Control
    Boiler pictures updated 2/21/15
    tomp1987
  • EdTheHeaterMan
    EdTheHeaterMan Member Posts: 9,378
    edited November 2023
    tomp1987 said:

    All great answers - much appreciated guys. And I'm in the Southeast Pennsylvania area.

    Go Birds.

    The IGGLES are the best... Pulled it out in overtime!

    Edward Young Retired

    After you make that expensive repair and you still have the same problem, What will you check next?

    ethicalpaultomp1987
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 10,919
    The only thing I would be concerned about is a pipe that is very close to the outside or an outside draft that might have been on the edge of freezing on the pretty cold and windiest days that now gets cold enough to freeze with less heat in the basement.
    tomp1987