San Francisco Bldg Mgr Going Nuts

Morty

What is the best way to get a boiler tech, excuse the terminology, to get his company to schedule a full day or two of work to attack a seeming return line situation. I've had 3 different companies come out over three months time to my 40 unit steam radiator heated building but none has settled the water from vents at radiators in only one tier of 8 tiers configuration. Seems they get started on their hunch of the week and then have to get to another situation elsewhere as they aren't exactly construction but are more repair (what I need) and can't dedicate their time to more than a couple of hours a week to a customer of 40 years plus business. I'm losing income on 3 apartments for 3 months so far. Is their an engineering perspective or profession other that boiler people I should be contacting?

Floyd_5

Hate to put it this way.....

but money talks......
Make it worth their while to stay.....
what is it worth to you to "get the job done"?????

Morty

Thanks Floyd

I believe you've relieved months of stress with that very basic "Money talks" perspective. Thank You.

Keith_5

suggestion

Try Find a Contractor on this site.

Call your local heating supply vendor and ask them what contractor they would recommend for a steam system.

If your boiler is insured, call your ins. agent.

Local mechanical inspector.

Service Manager for a local oil company, assuming oil heat is in your area.

All 5 suggestions are in this arena every day and know who the good ones are.

All 5 sources for referals will probably give you more then one refrence. When you narrow the search down to a couple of companies that appear to be professional ask for referals.

That should get a contractor in your building who doesn't mind a bit of a challenge. I hear your pain, it can be hard to get a service company to stay with a problem to the end.
I will tell a customer with a sitution such as yours, that I can't commit to how long it will take to rectify the problem but I will commit to stick with it to the end.

Good Luck, Keith

Steamhead

I agree

you need the right contractor. This problem can be fixed, but it will take someone who knows steam.

Unfortunately, I'm in Baltimore. You might try Alan "California Radiant" Forbes, he's done some steam. E-mail him at

adforbes@pacbell.net

and see if he can help you.

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Mark Eatherton1

The biggest problem...

is a lack of knowledge based on experience on the part of the fixers. "Let's try this and sit back and see if that makes any difference..."

That takes a LOT of time, which you are paying for. They're experimenting at your expense. It might make more sense to hire Dan Holohan to come out and survey the "system" as a whole, let him make specific recommendations based on his review, then gather the locals for estimates.

Most mechanics are great mechanics, but poor trouble shooters, especialy when it comes to steam.

Steam is not rocket science, but it does require intelligence and thought processes that go counter intuitive. Most hydronic mechanics approach it as if it were a hydronic system, and it AIN'T.

Just my $0.02 worth.

ME