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Those Who Came Before

Saw this on a job I worked and thought I'd share.
Since January 15th, 1948 when this system was first installed, everyone who worked there has signed the date and what they've done on the wall next to the boiler room entrance.
Not often around here that the Dead Men make their presence quite this known, and quite amazing to see the progression of records over the years!
kcoppLong Beach EdTurbo Dave

Comments

  • STEVEusaPA
    STEVEusaPA Member Posts: 6,506
    Interesting, but hackish. I guess paper and hanging tags didn't come out until after 1963?
    steve
  • jumper
    jumper Member Posts: 2,230
    Leaving a service record should be mandatory. May make it easier to figure out what goes on after boiler room has been knuckled multiple times.
    Double D
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796

    Interesting, but hackish. I guess paper and hanging tags didn't come out until after 1963?

    I'd say that was started before hang-tags were a thing, then continued the same way afterwards.

    @1Matthias , what's the earliest date shown there?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    Long Beach Ed
  • 1Matthias
    1Matthias Member Posts: 148
    @jumper With some of the jobs I've been on, you could kind of tell what was done when by the type of fittings used and the quality of the work. But aside from that, it was anyone's guess who cooked which parts of the dog's breakfast.

    @STEVEusaPA Paper tags tend to get lost or fall apart over the years. It's harder for a wall to go anywhere. ;P
    Long Beach Ed
  • 1Matthias
    1Matthias Member Posts: 148
    edited December 2019
    @Steamhead January 15th, 1948. "System Installed". Interestingly, the house was built around 1910 if not a bit before. Guess it didn't have central heating when it was first built. Would actually explain quite a few of the piping oddities in the house.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    Cool- what type of system is it?
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • 1Matthias
    1Matthias Member Posts: 148
    edited December 2019
    @Steamhead Single pipe steam, like most of the local systems. Seems that the local installers skipped 2-pipe steam and went directly to hot water. It's the system from my recent post about the failed Big Mouth vents. Sadly it doesn't have the best piping, near boiler or in general, but it seems to overall be working fairly well despite that.


  • Gordy
    Gordy Member Posts: 9,546
    edited December 2019
    I’ve always found random writings on frame work etc of old homes interesting. Far from unprofessional for the times.” April 16th snow”......

    Maybe even a few pristine cone top beer cans in the stud cavities😂
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    That rad is much, much older than 1948. They stopped making ornate rads round 1920. That one might be a Richmond.

    I bet the 1948 date was for a replacement boiler.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    ethicalpaulHap_Hazzard
  • 1Matthias
    1Matthias Member Posts: 148
    edited December 2019
    @Steamhead I've encountered a few "new old stock" installs locally; however I'm more than open to being wrong. :) This house has 3 different types of radiators; 3-4 hot water "tube" style made by American Radiator if I remember correctly, one hot-water style ornate radiator made by NYR, and 8 or so of the type pictured with no maker's mark that are single-pipe steam only.
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 16,796
    More likely some rads were replaced over the years. The pictured rad was in production when the house was built.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • 1Matthias
    1Matthias Member Posts: 148
    @Steamhead That's quite possible as well. It's honestly hard to tell what's where/when with this house, as it was split into 4-5 apartments in the late 40s, then reconverted back into a single family home some time later. The infrastructure is at best a colossal mess. Most of the steam pipework seems to have been untouched since initial installation however, despite a few oddities.