Steam system from the 1830's

RayWohlfarth

A contractor sent this to me Not sure what the tee is on the last pic. The header is piped wrong and the home has 4 indirect heaters. Such a cool looking job

Mad Dog_2

Do you mean the tee with gate valve above it? Mad Dog

Mad Dog_2

Oh.I see..."Sarco" ? Can he give you a wider angle to see how it's tied in?

Mad Dog_2

It's similar looking to the Richarson Air Expeller to me. Mad Dog

Steamhead

The odd looking tee is either an air vent or a safety valve, or maybe some sort of ejector. Is it mounted on the steam main or the dry return? Can we get a close-up of the lettering on the side?

This system doesn't date back to the 1830s. Remember, Stephen Gold didn't patent his system until 1854. This is probably from the late 19th or early 20th century. If the building is older than that, it was retrofitted.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Yeah, not 1830s.

mattmia2

Those fenestra windows that the indirect air intake is through didn't show up until about the 19 teens.

That was a lot of work to get the header wrong.

RayWohlfarth

These were the only pictures sent The home is from the 1830's I was told. I asked if I could go see it. I would be in heaven LOL

Jamie Hall

The house may well be from the 1830s, @RayWohlfarth — but not the steam system. For instance, Cedric's home is from 1780… but the steam system is from 1930.

Steamhead

@RayWohlfarth , where is this job located?

RayWohlfarth

@Jamie Hall you’re right of course The house is supposed to be that old Thanks for correcting me

@Steamhead no idea I’m hoping to get more information I assume it’s in Pittsburgh area

retiredguy

@Ray, the only place I know of and has old houses like that where there was a lot of money was Squirrel Hill. When I started working in residential HVAC in 1968, that was an area one that I frequented a lot and they had a lot of those old steam systems.

RayWohlfarth

I kinda figured that Would love seeing it