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Looking for professional steam system maintenance

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Keeganch
Keeganch Member Posts: 1
edited January 26 in Strictly Steam

Hi All,


I recently bought a 100-year-old house with a steam heating system. Now that it’s gotten cold, we realize that many of the radiators do not heat and heat spreads very unevenly throughout the house for the radiators that do work. We live in Wilton, Connecticut, and are looking for a steam specialist to service and potentially upgrade our system. I’d say we have about 20-25 radiators and maybe a third of them are currently working.

Recommendations are welcome - thank you!


Charlie

Comments

  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 18,317
    edited January 26

    Try @Charlie from wmass , I understand he comes down to CT. Go here:

    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/charles-garrity-plumbing-and-heating/

    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
    mattmia2ethicalpaul
  • CoachBoilermaker
    CoachBoilermaker Member Posts: 439

    Learn about replacing stuck radiator vents. They might be an easy fix for the cold rads

  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 19,881

    Unfortunately CT does not list many (if any) contractors on this site. @Charlie from wmass is excellent if you can get him he is usually very busy. he works out of Spfld. Ma so is some distance away. Probably an hour and 3/4 out.

    GOOD steam contractors are hard to find.

  • Charlie from wmass
    Charlie from wmass Member Posts: 4,425

    I familar with the area. I am 2 1/2 hours away due to not being able to travel with a heavy work truck on the parkways and several of the neighborhoods have their roads closed to through traffic by trucks.

    Cost is what you spend , value is what you get.

    cell # 413-841-6726
    https://heatinghelp.com/find-a-contractor/detail/charles-garrity-plumbing-and-heating
  • BobC
    BobC Member Posts: 5,551

    Is this single pipe steam with one pipe going into the radiator and an air vent on the other side? if it is are all the air vents working?

    Is it a 2 pipe system with a pipe connected to each end of the radiator? If so are the valves on each end open. Some early 2 output systems also had steam vents , if so are they working. If there are no radiator vents there might be orifices that limit how much steam each radiator can have or their may be steam traps on the outlet side of the radiator - what name is on these traps?

    Are there main vents on the pipes in the cellar or any steam traps? If there are vents are they working? They can fail on if the failk shy steam will not travel well.

    Make a list of all the radiators listing height. number of columns per section and number of sections. Also list vent type or trap type for each radiator. This info is good to have and will help anyone working on the system. There is no way to see internal orifice plates so ignore that for now

    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
  • EBEBRATT-Ed
    EBEBRATT-Ed Member Posts: 19,881

    @Keeganch

    I think what @BobC posted is a good idea. I would draw a piping map of your system if you can. Draw the boiler and the supply and return (if you have them) to each radiator if you can find them. Also calculate the EDR of each radiator. This will help whomever services your system

  • tim smith
    tim smith Member Posts: 2,902

    Post a few photos of boiler system, especially maybe standing back from boiler 10ft or so to get the surounding piping and boiler in a photo. Do from front and sides with showing back in 1 of the side views. Then a few of different radiators layouts.

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