Two pipe steam

TB

I am interested in converting my 40 unit apt. building,
70 year old,two pipe steam system into, one pipe steam.
How do I go about it, and what equiptment do I need to
replace.

DanHolohan

You would need

to repipe the entire system.

kf_2

Two pipe steam

Why!!!!

If you going to convert it to anything, convert it into a two pipe forced hot water system. And save a ton on fuel, water, and maintenance.

It isn't nearly as hard as it seems and the payback would be very quick I'm sure.

Just a thought.

kf

Steamhead

If you're looking to improve your fuel economy

you can retrofit that system with Thermostatic Radiator Valves. If this is a two-pipe system with shutoffs on the return as well as the inlet of each radiator, and an air vent on each rad, get the TRV that replaces the air vent. If your system has a shutoff on the rad inlet only, and a trap or other device on the return, get the TRV that replaces the shutoff on the inlet.

Also make sure the steam mains are vented well enough that they fill with steam in about a minute, measured from the time the boiler starts producing steam. This will decrease (sometimes greatly!) the amount of time the boiler needs to operate to get heat to the entire building.

Two-pipe steam is the ideal heat-distribution system for an apartment building because it can give the tenants some degree of control over how warm their apartments get (which is more diffucult with one-pipe steam), and it won't freeze and burst like hot water can. If that were my building, I'd keep and upgrade the existing system.

Where are you located? I'm sure we have someone near you who can help.

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