Several (no so) stupid questions...

David DeFord

I have a 1921 farm house that is heated by steam. I have successfully removed some of the return piping close to the boiler to fix a couple of small leaks that I simply tolerated last season. Here's the questions:

1. There seems to quite a bit of sludge (approx 1/4 in. in the bottom) in the wet portion of the return. First of all I would like to know if this sludge will only be in the wet portion or will it also be in the horizontal runs in the higher portions of the steam mains?

2. What is the best method of removing this sludge in the returns. I have thought of both snaking it with a 1/4 in. snake but am afraid of damaging any thin spots in the pipe and I have also thought of flushing it with a hose from the bottom. Any thoughts?

3. There is no hartford loop on this system. The wet return is approxmately 15 feet long and is completely exposed. I know that hartford loops are a good idea in general but with the exposed returns is it necessary?

4.About 2' of the return piping that I removed was galvanized and not black iron. When I started working with it I noticed that I there were several thin spots that I could put an ice pick through. Do you think that the rest of the return piping will have the same problem or is it a result of the galvinazition?

Any help or suggestions will be appreciated.

Unknown

check hot tech topics; at the menu on the left

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=129

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=91

Noel