Never maintained steam, convert to hot water?

Nick Z._2

Okay guys, hear me out before you think I'm trying to just kill an old legacy.
House is currently 2 pipe steam,(vapor/vacuum)with a EFM coal with an oil back up.This system NEVER has any type of maintnence unless I'm called there for trouble.
Farther more these people go to Fla. from jan. to march.They beleive the house is checked on but I'm sure it's not.
The h.o. has given up on coal,and is using the oil gun which cost a fortune to operate as it is not desinged to make steam, just hot h20.I was thinking this situation might be better off hot water. There is already 2 pipes to each Rad.(no traps) I could run a feed and a return loop around the basement and even zone the 2nd floor if I wanted to.I thought about the fact that steam is less likely to freeze, so maybe use glycol as rads. are oversized.
We also could use the existing boiler if h.o. can't afford everything at once. Open for suggestions, Thanks.

lchmb

I'll bite

If the piping system for the steam is fine and it is just a matter of the boiler being inefficiant why not just fix that issue? Not having seen it, I would guess that a new steam boiler with proper piping would be cheaper and easier than trying to repipe the entire system for water. That and if this homeowner has alway's had steam I have a feeling he will alway's have issue's with going to hot water (doesn't feel right, doesn't heat right). Another thought is if you go to antifreeze you will be losing at least 20% right off the top so you may not save much in this way. Good luck

Ted_9

Plus, It wouldnt be the best idea to use all the old steam piping and fittings, chances are that if you add hot water, it may leak.



Patriot Heating & Cooling, Inc.

Steamhead

Nick, it sounds like the boiler is the issue here

not the fact that this is a Vapor system. Pull out the old, inefficient monster, put in a nice new steam boiler, make sure the venting is OK, and you're done. No potential for leaks or having to mess with glycol.

What kind of Vapor system is this? Can you post some pics? You say it doesn't have traps, are there air vents on the radiators?

Boilerpro_3

Last choice for conversion

A poorly maintained steam system would be my last choice for conversion. Poor maintenance usually equals weakened piping and when converted, lots of leaks.
Get the steam right, and let her run.
A two pipe system with no traps can be a thing of beauty and low maintenanace.

I love 'em!


Boilerpro

Nick Z._2

> not the fact that this is a Vapor system. Pull

> out the old, inefficient monster, put in a nice

> new steam boiler, make sure the venting is OK,

> and you're done. No potential for leaks or having

> to mess with glycol.

>

> What kind of Vapor

> system is this? Can you post some pics? You say

> it doesn't have traps, are there air vents on the

> radiators?

Nick Z._2

> not the fact that this is a Vapor system. Pull

> out the old, inefficient monster, put in a nice

> new steam boiler, make sure the venting is OK,

> and you're done. No potential for leaks or having

> to mess with glycol.

>

> What kind of Vapor

> system is this? Can you post some pics? You say

> it doesn't have traps, are there air vents on the

> radiators?

Nick Z._2

Arco K

Sorry can't post pics got me one of them new digital cameras but don't have it figured out yet. Ther are no rad vents or traps.One main vent in the basement.
System does work wonderful on coal.Homeowner got the idea about change because thats what his neighbor did.
I told them that a new boiler would solve there problems, but I think they might just keep asking people until they get the answer they want.
Thanks for all your great advice.

Steamhead

That's an Orifice Vapor system!

No need to convert that to hot-water, and if you try to convert it and you don't replace the radiator valves with their built-in orifices, it will be very noisy!

This system is covered in chapter 15 of "The Lost Art of Steam Heating". If you don't have a copy, you can order it on the Books and More page of this site.

Christian Egli

Surely you can afford a little maintenance, that's all you need

Isn't it amazing, you neglect a steam system for years and years, you do nothing and it repays you by ... just going on and on and on.

Wonderful.

A hot air furnace would have conked out after something like 80 years. Hot water circulators would have frozen up by now too.

But steam will keep heating your home while waiting for you to give it a little tune up.

That's a little tune up that will yield huge rewards.

It's time to show a little affection and loyalty to the old system, just a small act of kindness. Hot water won't be as nice to you.

jerry scharf_2

A thought on how to approach them

Tell the HO that you could guarantee no freezes from the heating pipes anywhere outside the boiler room with a steam system, but a power failure while they are away could be a real disaster with hot water. It's a bit cheap, but there was a picture on the wall last winter of a garage where the porche, SUV and another car were covered in ice from ruptured pipes.

jerry

john_27

the existing system runs on mere ounces of pressure(if it is tuned correctly)...if you switch to hot water you will have to air test the the system to 20-30 psi, which may expose leaks...I'm sure the homeowner will not want to take that risk