Welcome! Here are the website rules, as well as some tips for using this forum.
Need to contact us? Visit https://heatinghelp.com/contact-us/.
Click here to Find a Contractor in your area.

Steam to FHA Conversion

JC_2
JC_2 Member Posts: 6
in THE MAIN WALL
Hello,
I am looking for a book or technical paper on how to convert a steam boiler to a forced hot water system.

Thank you for the suggestions,
JC

Comments

  • J.C.A._3
    J.C.A._3 Member Posts: 2,980
    OOOOOH, SLY.

    Steam to FHA, you'd be getting too many questions about why. Then in the post we find a coversion to FHW. A much better choice, but still I would like to know why?

    A good steam system will perform as well if not better than a FHW system. With the temps we're seeing lately, it will also not freeze and burst,(properly piped) like a FHW system will. Unless it's only a matter of finding someone to repair it I would personally stick with steam. Done right there isn't anything better. JMHO Chris
  • JC_2
    JC_2 Member Posts: 6


    Thanks for the reply, my questions should have read FH-W not FHA.

    I would just like to know how to do it.
  • Mark Eatherton1
    Mark Eatherton1 Member Posts: 2,542
    The only book I'm aware of...

    would be Mr Holohans The Lost Art of Steam Heating. It's not going to show you how to do a conversion, but the more you know about what it is that you're dealing with in the first place, the better off you are.

    I've converted numerous 2 pipe steam to forced hot water, and EVERYONE of them had some kind of issue, that was different than the last one. Theres a lot of stuff going on in the walls that you can't see and can't compensate for until it doesn't work right, then you're doing the Ooohhh AHHhh test for a few days until you figure it out.

    The best advice I can give is to use isolation valves freely so you can shut off "unidentified" pipes until it works right. End of main air vents I suspect, but will never know because the owners refuse to open up the ceilings and walls.

    Besides, once you understand how to "read" the steam system, you may find it a lot less intimidationg, and consequently, simpler than originally thought, and you may abandon your ideas for converting after all.

    The Lost Art book is available in the upper left part of the pipes, is highlighted in RED, and is labled Shop for Books and More. Buy it, even if you don't do steam. It'destined to become a best seller.

    ME
This discussion has been closed.

Categories