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Vapor Steam Heating System?

JbPhillips
JbPhillips Member Posts: 2
edited September 22 in Strictly Steam

I am replacing steam boiler in a house that built in 1887. I do not know how old the heating system is. Some of the items that are still in service: indirect heating coils (ducted to OA louver), pipe vented through roof, home made pipe receiver, impulse type check valves on each return side of rads, loop seal at the end of each steam main (made-up of three, one inch pipes about four footlong and two return bends)

Trying to identify device in attached picture. One is located on pipe receiver and one on each indirect heating unit.

20250920-143748.jpg

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,963

    Most likely these are air vents. Can you zoom out and show how they connect to the system?

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 18,533

    I would probably re duct the indirect return duct to inside the house and cap off the OA intake.

    mattmia2
  • JbPhillips
    JbPhillips Member Posts: 2
    edited September 22

    Here is a few more pictures

    2f957bdc-9c69-4ea2-bddc-94065815f7f8-cdv-photo-001.jpg 6f4c74a7-ec11-4bc2-8afc-45701c6e1678-cdv-photo-001.jpg ecb14d46-a0ff-481a-ab1a-faa18cac8a0e-cdv-photo-001.jpg
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,136

    Probably a 2 pipe air vent system of some sort. Each emitter returns individually to a wet return below the water line so only condensate can return there and there is an air vent on th return of each emitter to let the air out, possibly piped to an eductor of some sort to produce some vacuum.

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,963

    Maybe, maybe not. @JbPhillips , in the third pic where the device comes out of the housing and a pipe goes up, where does that pipe end up?

    Also, where are you located? We might know someone who can help you……………

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    mattmia2
  • mattmia2
    mattmia2 Member Posts: 14,136

    I wasn't so much saying that was what it was but more describing it because it kind of looked that way from the pipe going up and down from the return so that the op could look at it and see if that was what was happening.

  • 109A_5
    109A_5 Member Posts: 2,757

    So each indirect heating unit has three pipes, Supply, Return and Vent ? Return and Vent pictured here.

    image.png
    National - U.S. Gas Boiler 45+ Years Old
    Steam 300 SQ. FT. - EDR 347
    One Pipe System