problems when changing 2 pipe steam to hot water

anthony_12

I HAVE DONE IT A DOZEN TIMES WITH VERY LITTLE PROBLEMS.I CHANGE THE VALVES REMOVE THE ELEMENTS IN THE TRAPS DRILL AND TAP THE RADS. CAP ALL THE RETURNS AND EVERY RAD WORKS FINE

Charles Potter

PLease let me know the best way to change the 2pipe steam system to a circulated hot water heating system.

Steamhead

The best way

is not to convert it. Hot-water runs at over 10 times the pressure of steam. This increased pressure is sure to find any weak points in the piping and cause leaks- and it might not show up on the initial pressure test. I've seen the results of this and it's not pretty.

Then there's the question of whether the radiators will be big enough to heat the building with hot-water- or if they'll work with hot-water at all.

For more pitfalls, go here:

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

If you're having trouble with your steam system including high fuel consumption, it is much less risky and much more cost-effective to fix it than to try to convert it. New steam boilers are much more efficient then older ones, and parts are available to fix any system problem you have.

Steamhead

You were lucky

I could show you several problem jobs where they can't seem to stop the leaking. As soon as one leak is fixed, another one starts. This is why we don't do this type of conversion. We want our customers' systems to be reliable.

THP_6

What was it built for.

I have worked on hundreds of conversion jobs over the years. If you crunch the numbers on the job before and after. You did not save anything by going to hot water.
The only person that made out good is the one who sold the boiler.