Should I convert from steam to hot water?

Ted Robinson

We have a 1920's two-story house, with an unfinished basement. The one pipe steam boiler system is being held together with no water leakage, after using stop leak 6 weeks ago. A new boiler is in our future. We have uneven steam heating issues during the very cold weather (<20 degrees) and I am wondering if a conversion to two pipe hot water using our mix of recessed and free standing radiators and a new hot water boiler is worth the cost of repiping and the associated wall repairs, etc. Not knowing equipment costs, is a hot water boiler equipment significantly less costly than the equivalent steam unit? BTW, I can do copper tubing installations but I will leave the boiler installation to a good professional. I am looking for a good professional to propose the job.
T. Robinson, Eastern Queens, NY City.

tommyoil

Stop Leak

in the system is a band aid on a bullet wound as you already know. The decision to switch is a personal one between you and your wallet. Also, its not always cut and dried when converting steam rads to hot water. Alot of gunk has probably built up within the system (alot like cholesterol) that could break free and wreak havoc with your hot water system. Just something to consider. Could be your boiler was pushing steam up the chimney instead of to the radiators where it belongs. When its running properly there is NOTHING like steam heat. Sounds like a new boiler and a little bit of tweaking on the system will get you where you want to be. And dont forget, now that theres oatmeal in your system be sure to thoroughly clean it after installing your new unit. Good Luck with your decision.

Constantin

Sounds like your steam system is on it's last legs...

...we have one-pipe steam in our rental apartment. It's a great system once it has been set up properly, with good vents on the mains, etc. However, you need a very good installer/maintainer to ensure that everything will continue to work as it was designed and to undo any misdeeds that came before them.

The fact that your piping required a slime to make it close up gives me some pause. It almost sounds as though your piping system must have been badly installed or abused, since a properly set-up one-pipe steam system should never accumulate any water except down in the boiler area. Everything should pitch/drop towards the boiler...

Here is what I would do: Use the Find a Professional button and get someone in that has read and understood Dan Holohans book "The Lost Art of Steam Heating". While you're at it, consider buying "We got Steam Heat". Get a second opinion on the condition of your pipes, then forge ahead with a plan.

If your old steam pipes are shot and have to be replaced, you could fairly easily make a switch to hot water heating (you'll have to rip out one pipe, anyway, so what's adding another?).

The cost of a steam boiler is pretty similar to that of a hot water boiler. Steam heat requires a lot of steel pipe to install, which takes time and effort. While hot water's delivery method can be less expensive in comparison (think PEX tubing, etc.) hot water requires circulators, etc. to keep it moving. As uninformed as I am as a mere fellow homeowner, I doubt you will see a significant difference in price between a complete steam and hot water install.

The one thing that could prevent you from recycling your rads for hot water use is if they were sized properly for your current conditions and therefore need to be at steam temperature on a design day (i.e. the coldest local temp that is sustained). However, if they came with the house and you have since then upgraded the structure with insulation, modern windows, etc. you should be OK.

Dale

Fuel

Oil or nat gas? If nat gas and you plan to stay in the place and you want the most comfort and lowest fuel bills convert to hot water with a modern condensing boiler. Steam can be made to work well but it cannot be made to be as effecient as a modern condensing hot water system, the cost difference is most evident in spring and fall. The cost of the replacement boiler will be the least of your decisions. If I was going to open walls I would spend the money for radiant floors or panel rads. And since I spend time in the basement something there too.
If oil then the money call is a little tighter as current US oil offerings don't condense.

Robert O'Connor_7

steam or hot water....

You need a boiler right? Why not install a new steam boiler with the capability of converting it to hot water. Check out the Weil-McLain EG series. You can buy it with steam trim and then when your ready change the controls and make it into forced hot water...Robert O'Connor/NJ

al leone

steam or water?

Lets face it the 1920's are long gone, If I were you I'd get rid of that old noisey steam sys. Convert to hot water and move into the modern age, we are all tired of trying to keep up with these old sys. Every winter Its the same old heat calls

Tony Conner_2

If You've Got...

...a "noisy old system", and "every winter it's the same old heat calls", the right guys aren't being called in to look at problems with these systems.

Tony Conner_2

Unless...

...the steam system has been butchered, it's not very often that the marginal efficiency increase in going to hot water from steam will pay back. Steam systems can usually be made to run properly for a fraction of the cost of totally replacing the system with hot water,

Steamhead

Ted, keep the steam

A new steam boiler and any system repairs that are needed will give you a much better return on investment than trying to make your steam system into a hot-water system. To see some of the pitfalls you might encounter, go here:

http://www.heatinghelp.com/newsletter.cfm?Id=22

And remember, a steam system won't freeze and burst like a hot-water system can. And keeping the steam is much less disruptive to the house.

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

Ted Robinson

In response.

Continuing . . . .Our steam system is not noisey at all. Mostly you hear the cast iron radiators clicking when the steam first comes up. Very little, to no water hammer. The only functional problems we have deal with a large temperature difference from the first to the second floor when the weather turns severly cold. The first floor can be 6 degrees cooler than the second floor. And there is a delay for the steam to first come up. It is an oil boiler that I have been under-firing (1.35 gal/hr with the old boiler oversized at 620 sq ft.

Steamhead

These problems are easy to solve

try the Find a Professional page of this site to locate a good steam man near you. If you're in the Baltimore area, contact me!

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

Dean_7

steam

NO. Keep your system and fix it properly. I did last year and dropped my gas bill 75%