Roll up the sleeves on this one
Got a call from a customer that put purchased a two flat home and they were starting to restore the home. Talked to the customer who informed me they needed new boilers and wanted to keep the steam system. Go take a look and found a cool Webster system. The boilers have seen better days to say the least, but all the radiators are surprisingly in decent shape. We are going to reevaluate the system once they get asbestos removed and the basement ceiling. This one's going to be a fun project to bring back to life.
Owner of Grunaire Climate Solutions. Check us out under the locate a contractor section. Located in Detroit area.
Comments
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Very cool. Don't see a boiler return trap, must have been gas/oil a long time.
One boiler per apartment?
Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.0 -
Are there really 2 separate, complete systems there?
Looks like that basement has been very wet.
The "ceiling" probably is or at one time was required fireproofing.
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The Webster "Modulation" system didn't use a Return Trap. The "Type R" system did. Both used Vent Traps.
All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting3 -
Tell us more! "Modulation "?
Trying to squeeze the best out of a Weil-McLain JB-5 running a 1912 1 pipe system.0 -
Yes it was two separate living spaces. 2000 sq ft 1st floor and the same for the second. Customer is making the whole building one house. The plan is to keep the two boiler systems. They plan on doing the first floor, living there while the 2nd is being worked on. Once the ceiling comes down we can trace the pipes out to see what boiler did what floor. The 95% of the radiators have the Webster Vari valve on the steam supply. All rads have traps that need to be refreshed. Luckily it looks like the vent traps and condensate hasn't been butchered.
Owner of Grunaire Climate Solutions. Check us out under the locate a contractor section. Located in Detroit area.
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See chapter 15 of "The Lost Art of Steam Heating".
All Steamed Up, Inc.
Towson, MD, USA
Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
Oil & Gas Burner Service
Consulting1 -
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@Mad Dog_2 I wasn't expecting much when I arrived to meet with the customer on site. Once I started looking around I was pleasantly surprised at what I found. This is one of those jobs that as a contractor you get excited about doing. Yes, we are in it to make a profit and run a business. This is one where it's a chance to preserve history and help to be a care taker for what the deadmen did before us! I'm ready to have it, it's the waiting for all the other work to happen that's going to be a killer lol.
Owner of Grunaire Climate Solutions. Check us out under the locate a contractor section. Located in Detroit area.
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… only if there's money left in the budget for you after the asbestos removal gets done.
Seriously, though; it looks like a fun job!
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This is so cool to see! Would love to see some combustion analyzer tests on both these beasts. 😍
Lifelong Michigander
-Willie
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@TheUpNorthState88 The customer is opting to replace both boilers. The house sat vacant for a few years.
Owner of Grunaire Climate Solutions. Check us out under the locate a contractor section. Located in Detroit area.
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I can almost hear the sawzall and the hammers breaking fittings.
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If I read the boiler door correctly it is an original American Radiator Company coal fired boiler.
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Is there asbestos on the piping up in the building that has ben dissolved and carried everywhere too? Abating that could be a nightmare.
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That's correct it's an ARCO coal fired boiler. Most of the homes in the area had them. Converted to natural gas years ago. I've found a few that went from coal to oil to natural gas. The asbestos appears to be intact aside from the near boiler piping. The customer is getting the environmental contractor to deal with that issue. In a holding pattern for now just waiting in the que.
Owner of Grunaire Climate Solutions. Check us out under the locate a contractor section. Located in Detroit area.
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Speaking as a homeowner that grew up with single pipe steam heat, I would look at using one cast iron steam boiler for both living spaces as a common heat source by using a double drop header for all the piping connections to make all the dry steam and perhaps all the hot water in the heating season as the upper floor piping could be valved off in the basement since they are in no hurry to use the upper floor. I hope you are awarded the job as I would really enjoy seeing the new heating system piping and new valves.
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I have owned houses in which the original steam systems had been completely removed and replaced with boring hot water baseboards. In your photos, the newer boiler (last image foreground) appears to be a hot water system added at a later date. Are the original radiators being used on that loop?
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It is steam trim, it has a pressuretrol although the near boiler piping looks…interesting.
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