vapor/vacuum to hot water

Paul H.

Is it possible to convert a vapor/vacuum system to a hot water system?What problems could arise?

Paul H

Gary Fereday

YES

1st ? why? A properly working steam vapor system is perhaps the best there is. It is quiet, efficient, has fewer parts, (no pumps) easier to service, (radiators are not full of water). Good steam boilers are avalible, and you can get Books and More (here ) to send you enough information for you to service the steam part very well. I ma contemplating this very idea for my home. The vapor system that is, since this scorched air is about done. A steam vapor system will work here as long as the Nat. gas flows. (no dependance on electricity). Anyway bigugh

Gary Fereday

I am sorry,

That did not answer you question. First thing It may be difficult to balance the existing system useing hot water. The pipes are very large for what hot water needs, and the radiation connections may allow one radiator to do most of the work (room to hot,other rooms not hot enough). The large steam pipes hold a lot of water, cold shocking a boiler with that each time a call for heat come on. Pump is required. And a darn good savy contractor also. There I have repented! bigugh

Rick_5

I'm glad this question was asked.
I recently bought and moved into a 1918 Bungalow with the origonal (converted to nat. gas) 2 pipe steam / vaporstat system. I have been wondering the same thing, only my question would have been " If the boiler goes, will I have to convert to hot water?". What worries me, is when the time comes, will I be able to find a good "Boiler man" in the Syracuse NY area?

Steamhead

Vapor Forever!

Rick and Paul, your Vapor systems are some of the best ever made. When properly set up, theyre quick, quiet and efficient. I wouldn't consider converting them- doing so can be nothing but aggravation. Do you know who made the equipment in your houses (example- Broomell, Dunham, Trane, Webster or whoever)?

Use the Find a Contractor page of this site to locate a good steam man near you.



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Jamie Hall

yee ha

Vapour steam lives! I agree -- being the proud owner of a Hoffman system vapour steam system. The Cadillac of heating systems -- there is nothing to beat it.

On getting work done: laddie, learn all you can about it and understand well. Very Well Indeed. Yourself. Get all of Dan's books (this site) -- they are invaluable. As has been said elsewhere, a vapour steam system is very likely to make the average contractor take one look and back slowly... very slowly... out of the boiler room. However, once understood, they aren't any harder than any other steam system to work on. Boilers of all sizes are easily available -- any number of good makes.

Don't change!

joel_14

Change it out!!!!!

Ok here's the counter argument. You can keep those rads repipe them ,put in a Viessmann with outdoor reset, with as many zones as you want and have great comfort and lower heating bills. If you keep that vapor set up be aware that very few people can work on it. Some of the parts are getting harder to get as less places stock them. You have to rebiuld steam traps on a regular basis and not many people do it and it will get exspensive. Remember in some countries it is illegal to fix a steam system as they are so ineficent.
Yes a Vapor system was the Cadillac of steam systems. This was back when Cadillac was "The Standard of The World".
Now if you want something nice you get a BMW or Infiniti or a Benz. Caddilac is a geezers car, except for that pickup thingy I Gotta get me one of those!!!!!

Jamie Hall

Joel -- got to meet you someday. You hit the nail on the head: the problem with vapour (for that matter, most steam -- but vapour especially) is getting someone to work on it. I can't blame contractors -- there are very few of the systems which have not been changed in some way (usually letahl), and the experience just isn't available. And they are a little tricky -- not to work on, but to understand. As for parts, some manufacturer's (the more exotic) are as you say hard to find, to put it mildly. Hoffman Specialty, thank goodness, still seems to carry on. That said, the only part which does need repair on many systems is the steam traps. They aren't that hard to fix -- assuming you can find the element. As for efficiency... I'm just a humble PE (see some of the other threads!) but the overall efficiency of a properly designed and maintained steam or vapour system is not appreciably different from a ditto hydronic system -- it's much more in the boiler/furnace whatever and the building than in the means of heat transfer. Note: properly designed in the first place and properly maintained in the second place, and I'll grant you that that's harder with steam than hydronic.

Steamhead

Vapor system parts

aren't hard to get if you know where to look (ask me how I know that). And I've learned, as Jamie has, that a well-operating steam system transfers heat as well as hot water. I've already designed and helped build a one-pipe system from scratch, and my next one will likely be Vapor.

I'm not trying to say hot water is bad- that's what my house has, and I like it- but steam can work just as well.

The "general lack of knowledge" regarding steam is an OPPORTUNITY for any serious Wethead. It has developed into a very important part of our business which can only expand as word gets out. The Wethead who can do steam will likely have as much business as he can handle!



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keith

I wonder

why it is that contractors complain about how profitable they are (not) and how fierce the competition is? Here is a market that is crying for competent skills and we turn our back on it. Customers will pay for a service that others can't provide. This old saying comes to mind- If you want to be successful- " Find out what the majority of contractors are doing and do just the opposite". Why kill yourself to be the low bidder if there is a short age of compainies willing to pursue this work. Just my opinion, Keith