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Need some serious advise on heating system

5K views 26 replies 3 participants last post by  redline 
#1 ·
Hi, and thanks to all, I am in need of some advise on a heating system. I have a house I just purchashed, did major renovation and had to change the pipes on the steam heat due to change in floor plans. The pipes were redone by a friend using black pipe of course. The problem is that it is making banging noise, water in the system. I am hearing steam traps, I am hearing pipes not pitched correctly, and so on. I am fed up with this, and feel like putting my reciprocation saw blades to use. I was wondering what would it cost to convert to hot water baseboard heat, new boiler, new radiators, new pipes again, and so on? The house is 1600sq feet. All help is welcome, and please all jokes to the side, this has been a nightmare for me. Thanks, I just don't know if I could afford it right now, but something needs to be done, and its 38 degrees here today.:furious:
 
#4 ·
Redline, I am in the whole right now. I should of gone with my ideas in the beginning, but I kept asking people for suggestions and I got the goods and the bads from hot water heat. I have a few friends at work that have baseboard heat, they say the heat is not enougth. First heat elements get the most heat, as the water goes by it cools off and last room gets the less heat. As far as how much I have modify , I had the entire black pipes redone in the house due to change of floor plans, I also got rid of the bulky radiators and replaced them with heat elements. I am in the whole of $2,000.00 plus the labor was another $1,000.00. I will lose $3,000.00 but I am at the point that I do not want this steam heat to hunt me in the long run. The furnace is not new, and I do not know how long it would last. The guy I got to do the pipes is comming this eve, he says its the return line , that it needs to pitch more towards the boiler. Yesterday I was so upset I was about to put my new metal blades to work on the piping system, but I couldn't afford to have my water pipes freeze. Right now I have the heat elements shut off, they are two cast iron radiators that are okay. I have a feeling that its due to the unproper pitching of the pipes. I am going to install would floors whenever I get the chance, and I don't want in the future the steam heat to ruin them. If I decide this is the time right now, before I close up the wall which I will need to run the lines upstairs. My question can I get a heating contractor to do the boiler, and I will do the soldering of the radiators, and how much will it cost roughly, since I would have to run new copper piping 3/4. Thanks Redline and I am sorry for the long post.
 
#6 ·
I am in NY area, the return pipes have a small pitch going back to the boiler, how much exactly I won't know until tonight when I go to the house. Also all I know he used a leveler when he was doing the piping. Thanks Redline. I just don't know if I should just stop the steam heat, and go with water heat, or should I repair this since I already have $3,000.00 invested.
1) How can I check how much of a pitch the return pipe has with a leveler?

2) How much pitch should it have?
 
#7 ·
Hi helplesshandyman

I am still reccomending the use of a bucket steam trap. Place it at the tail end of your return line just before the boiler. I believe the post is still up there that has the website I got you. Also make sure the returns off of the baseboards are sloped down. And yes I am back

Good luck
Rusty
 
#10 · (Edited)
Okay, getting back. I did that last night I shut off the heat elements and left the two radiators valves on so if at night the thermostat would call for heat, she will fire up and not burst my vwater pipes. I have one of thoses 7 day thermostat and I think thats going to come off, for the simple reason I am also noticing that the heat starts up, but the the boiler shuts off after maybe 10-15 min. The heat never reaches the thermostat setting. I know this is something different but just had to throw it out there as well. What a mess I am in.. As far as did it work before, I just purchashed the house in the summer, inspector fired up the boilder found gas leak on the gas valve and boiler was locked down by Fire Dept. It was repaired, gas vavle igniter was replaced. Thanks guys
 
#13 ·
Carrierman, I believe there is a little metal box on the side of the boiler and it's at 0.5 which I beleive is the lowest setting. I just got a call from the guy that installed the pipes and he says he's going to lower the water return pipe tonight. He says there should be water there, but it seems there is steam since the pipe is so hot. Keep helping me guys, I know I will get this with your help..
 
#15 ·
The return line needs to slope towards the boiler if it does not then the pressure will build up and shut down the system (if the safety is working)

On a one line steam system the boiler brings the water to steam. The steam rises to the radiators (vents on each radiator lets out air in th e radiator). Whne the steam cools down the the water returns to the boiler to be reheated. Each radiator needs to have a slight slope towards the main line for the "cooled" water to flow back to the boiler. If the lines do not slope towards the boiler then the water and steam get trapped in the same pipe and will bang.
The steam is trying to rise and the "cooled" water is trapping the steam.
 
#16 ·
Redline, Thanks. Again how much of a pitch does the return line need to be? How can I check this with a leveler? All the radiators have a pitch back to the boiler. Now the thing is the radiators that the pipe come straight up don't make a banging noise, only the heat element radiators, and those pipe turn and run a little on the ceiling, I am wondering if those are pitched right? I need to know what pitch is needed? How can I check it with a leveler? Thanks
 
#24 ·
Now the thing is the radiators that the pipe come straight up don't make a banging noise, only the heat element radiators, and those pipe turn and run a little on the ceiling, I am wondering if those are pitched right? I need to know what pitch is needed? How can I check it with a leveler? Thanks[/B]
"...and those pipe turn and run a little on the ceiling, I am wondering if those are pitched right?"

Are the "elements" on the ceiling? :confused1:
 
#17 ·
Carrierman, I haven't forgot about the steam trap, I just don't want to put anymore money into this at this piont. I am getting close to hanging the towel and going towards hot water heat. When something starts to give problems in the beginning, it's sure going to give problems at the end of the road. I am waiting on a bid for hot water heating. How can I calculate how many feet in baseboard heaters will I need to heat my house up? can you help me with this? Thanks
 
#18 ·
Hi helplesshandyman

I am not sure why the hardware store guy told you they are for high pressure systems. All of the steam heat I take care of are only 3-5 lb systems. Hope this helps, like I said use the website I gave you and make sure you get what you need. Don't just take my word for it, give them a call. I will be here to help if needed.

Good luck
Rusty
 
#25 · (Edited)
I am also wondering that too as well. The ceilings are closed now, we had tested the system for leaks, and since she wasn't leaking or banging we closed up the ceilings. We started the boiler for two days, and it worked fine only one element made a banging noise so we slightly pitched it and it stopped. This steam heat is becomming a nightmare for me, and I am just thinking if I should just loose the $3,000 invested already (new pipes, radiators, heat elements, labor)and just turn to hot water heat? I should of gone with my first instinct, but I kept hearing that hot water heat doesn't give enough heat, or that some rooms would be hotter than others. We started to bring down the water return last night, we have it pitched running alond the side of the basement wall. I will see tonight when we start her up, it was 12:00pm and I was dead tired. Any suggestions welcomed. Its going to be in the teens tonight, so I have to fire her up tonight! The heat elements are not on the ceiling, they're on the floor inside the cabinets I posted on the previous post.......
 
#27 ·
If you are having a problem with just one "element" banging then you may be able to turn that one off and allow the rest of the system to heat the house. Then investigate further why the one "element" is causing the problem.

Hopefully you installed a shut off valve right at each "element".
 
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