water hammer in steam baseboard

rathernotsay

We just moved into a 1920s home that has mostly the old-fashioned upright steam radiators. However, the former owner put a 9-ft baseboard in the kitchen, linked by a single pipe to the boiler, that waterhammers violently when the system is working hard on a cold day. We've been told the unit is 1) too long, 2)made for hot water, not steam 3) needs a return pipe and a steam trap...We've been given an estimate to replace the unit with a cast-iron baseboard made for steam, with a return. Anyone have any ideas? I can hardly sleep since the Northeast cold snap hit and the water hammer started sounding like the house was exploding(!)

Roger Litman

Baseboard steam

Assuming that the baseboard is copper, you should replace it with cast iron baseboard so it will be in balance with the rest of the radiation. I have seen cast iron baseboard run with a one pipe steam system with a vent valve and with proper slope believe that could be done in your case, but it has to be seen.

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