Changing a Steam Boiler into Water Heater

clammy

Been there done that but just remenber there are a few differences between the two types .Like most steam boiler the water passes are larger then in a hot water boiler in most cases and another thing is it really is not designed for a ghot water application .You will in all likelyhood spend and use more fuel why because because i been there and have removed these converted stean to hot water boiler even with a standard CI hot water boiler there gas bill where cut by 1/3 .Also there may be flue condensation so in piping put a by pass if you convert it .Don't plan on it being the most effecient boiler operation around but it will heat your home.The last converted one i replaced was running in upwards of 450 bucks a month due to chimmey issues and no possilable of a flue liner we installed a munchkin m80 the home now used less then 1/2 the amount of therm to heat the home and on the shoulder months the bills arequite small .peace and good luck clammy

Mike S

Just wondering if a relativly new Utica Steam boiler (mod# PEG150CDE) can be converted into a water heater for space heating. Is this sort of thing ever done or are boilers for steam generation designed differently than boilers for heating water other than the sight glass and low water cutout?

Steamhead (in transit)

Why

do you want to convert it?

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Mike S

Yes I would consider it if it is possible. I am in the middle of adding apx 1600 sq ft to our existing house which is heated by steam. The plan is to have hot water baseboard and floor raidiant in the new addition and keep the steam in the existing house during this heating season before going with the hot water through out for next year's heating season. If converting is something that is readily done without any downsides I would consider changing over the entire house all at once during the warmer months and use my existing boiler for the hot water. Thanks for the reply.

Long Beach Ed

Same boiler

A boiler designed for steam can heat hot water, but some hot water boilers cannot produce steam.

That's because steam needs room above the water line to rise off the water and you'll need tappings for a sight glass.

Just change the steam trim to water on the boiler and you're in business! MAy be a little hard getting the steam risers out of the thing, but with a little care you can cut them out if need be.

Long Beach Ed

Steamhead (in transit)

Check the load

to see if the boiler will support it all. If the steam system is working well, you won't gain much by trying to convert it and could run into other problems as well- go here for more:

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

If the steam has some issues, fixing it is much more cost effective than trying to convert it.

If the boiler capacity is questionable or definitely insufficient, a second boiler is a fine solution. This is pretty common in the Baltimore area. Two boilers also gives you some redundancy- if one boiler breaks down, you still have heat in part of the house.



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Dave Yates (PAH)

Been there, done that too, but.........

Given the cost for converting a steam boiler to hot water, I'd be inclined (at this point in time and energy costs having spiked) to recommend tossing the cast iron for a condensing, modulating high efficiency boiler for any hot water application.

Conversions require a complate overhaul for controls and we always included redundancy on the limit switches.

As Steamhead mentioned, an accurate study of the heat loss and radiator capacity is a must if you convert. Won't be much fun if you convert and discover it's cool in the converted space come dead of winter.

If you find the radiators will handle the lower EDR as that relates to the heat loss, you can save money on fuel bills if the hot water system is designed and installed properly.

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Christian Egli_2

The hybrid home

Converting from steam to hot water would be similar in concept to converting a forced air system to hot water using the same ducting, just filling them with water. Of course a little duct tape will do just fine at stopping the leaks...

You wouldn't consider that reasonable, would you? Well, neither is abandoning a nice steam system.

A comprehensive switch is totally possible, but to do it right it is very costly and those conversions I have been involved with have always been disappointing. None have ever produced equal benefits to what a relatively inexpensive decent steam system maintenance would have given. And certainly never any of the great benefits as promised.

Why not do your addition in steam? Steam baseboard works great. Also, a radiant floor loop could be taken of a steam boiler, but I have another idea.

Here is what I would seriously consider:

Why not install (in the select parts of the home where this is feasible and desirable) a totally new and independent radiant floor system with the best boiler for it, namely a condensing one. Since radiant floors work at very low temperature and since neither radiators nor baseboards work at the same low temperature there is a mismatch in boiler function where one single boiler for the total system would leave you with uncapitalized efficiency.

The rest of the home and the addition would work on your current steam.

I believe such a set-up would be very smart and efficient. You would have season base heat provided by the comfortable floor and you would have peak heat, extreme cold day heat and mild shoulder season heat provided by the steam.

Floor heat is great for base load, but not for quick pick up while steam is exactly the reverse. A match made in heaven, don't you think? Particularly when considering the exotic weather of New Jersey.

I hope I made you think.