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Adding hot water zone to steam boiler, need a steam pro referral

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Soilidventur
Soilidventur Member Posts: 7
in Strictly Steam
I'm trying to heat a 3 season unheated porch and want to know if I can tap into my boiler to add a forced hot water zone.. I'm looking for a referral for a steam pro in the Boston area (JP) who can calculate the present load to see if my boiler has enough capacity to add a second zone, discuss any other options to heat the porch, and do the job.

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  • Jamie Hall
    Jamie Hall Member Posts: 23,286
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    Try @New England SteamWorks . He's very competent, and he may cover your area. @Charlie from wmass would be another, but I'm never sure whether he works in your area.
    Br. Jamie, osb
    Building superintendent/caretaker, 7200 sq. ft. historic house museum with dependencies in New England
    New England SteamWorks
  • Fred
    Fred Member Posts: 8,542
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    What's the risk of it freezing up out there? Steam may be a better option.
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,478
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    @Fred That was my first thought, using water on a porch loaded with windows and maybe not all that well sealed off below and above is asking for it.

    Bob
    Smith G8-3 with EZ Gas @ 90,000 BTU, Single pipe steam
    Vaporstat with a 12oz cut-out and 4oz cut-in
    3PSI gauge
  • Soilidventur
    Soilidventur Member Posts: 7
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    Thanks for your response. Porch will be winterized during rehab, I’m exploring options on how to heat it and assumed I need a new zone.
  • breeve
    breeve Member Posts: 8
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    I did this about six years ago,for a radiant heat kitchen floor, adding it to a steam system. If you are a physics and arithmetic person, it is really not very difficult. (I am an older person, but I am not a "steam-old man"not knowing what is in particular unlabeled cast iron enclosure... until somebody tells me.) In any event, I did a bit of calculating for heat demand for the space, found a water loop I could put in the steam boiler, mixing valve, reset,manifolds, circ pump. Warm (and warm feet) on winter mornings (i'm also near Boston).
    You can use glycol if you are worried about freezing,
    FWIW it is just crucial that someone can do clean, no srcew-ups, well laid out, plumbing (wiring, too)

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