Newbie Steam Question

Dan T

Hi, I've got a question about my residential steam heating. My house is about 100 years old, with a steam heating system. The furnace/boiler is relatively new. I've got radiators in nearly all the rooms of this 2 family house, and I live on the first floor. Our tenant on the second floor has no thremostat, since the only one in the house is in our unit.

Since we have a wood stove downstairs, when it really heats up, it trips the sole thermostat, and then no heat goes upstairs. This is a problem.

What kind of options/what is involved in creating a separate "zone" to have the heat upstairs controlled separately? Everything I have read leads me to believe that the heat in the house is either ON or OFF, and there isn't really a simple way to control separate "zones" easily.

If there is a way to do it, what kind of $$ (ballpark) are we talking about to setup a separate zone?

Other solution ideas?

Thanks much for any help!

-Dan

Kent

parity

Try putting the thermostat upstairs. This you can probably do for close to free. Splitting the system would cut into your rental profits for a many a month.

ed wallace

steam problem

kent is right easeast way move tstat or spend money on outside reset and themostatic radiator valves best thing to do go to find a contractorat this site and find a company that knows steam systems good luck

Dan T

Thanks

Thanks Ed and Kent!

With the easy thermostat solution, can I just add a thermostat upstairs and gang wire it in with the current one? This way, if either one trips, the heat will go on. Or do I need to actually move the one from downstairs to the upstairs, because you can only have one?

Thanks again!

-Dan

P.S. - This site is great!

Kent

one thermostat

Your tenant is the cold one, therefore let him have the only thermostat. If you have two, your's will probably always be off. If, after a week with his new power, you still notice windows open up there, it's time to talk.

ed wallace

tstats

i agree with kent

[Deleted User]

How about....

eliminating all the internal thermostats, incorporating an outside thermostat and putting TRV's on all the radiators.

Just thinking outside the usual BANG BANG box here...

There are a number of steam cycle controls that would be of a great assistance in this scenario.

ME

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