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Posted by Dyvim on May 12, 2006, 12:53 pm
Ok, dumb question: How do I tell if my house's boiler and heating
system is hot water or steam? I'm confused because I've had 3 plumbers
in for estimates to replace my boiler - 1 says it is steam, 1 says it
is hot water, and the 3rd wasn't certain but thought it was hot water.
I'd always thought it was hot water, but I want to be certain.
My house has an old cast iron Ideal Redflash boiler from the American
Radiator Company (which changed names in 1929 the year our house was
built, so I'm pretty sure this is the house's original boiler) that I
believe burned coal originally but now burns oil. There is no sight
glass on the boiler, which makes me think it is hot water, but I also
can't find any expansion tank, which makes me wonder (I've checked all
closets, attic, etc. - where could it be hidden?). The psi on the
system is around 15, which also makes me think it is hot water (too
high for residential steam). The radiators around the house are all
old cast iron 2-pipe jobs.
How can I figure this out for sure?
TIA
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Posted by HeatMan on May 12, 2006, 1:55 pm
Does it have a sight glass?
Can you post a picture here? http://forums.invision.net/Main.cfm?CFApp=2
> Ok, dumb question: How do I tell if my house's boiler and heating
> system is hot water or steam? I'm confused because I've had 3 plumbers
> in for estimates to replace my boiler - 1 says it is steam, 1 says it
> is hot water, and the 3rd wasn't certain but thought it was hot water.
> I'd always thought it was hot water, but I want to be certain.
> My house has an old cast iron Ideal Redflash boiler from the American
> Radiator Company (which changed names in 1929 the year our house was
> built, so I'm pretty sure this is the house's original boiler) that I
> believe burned coal originally but now burns oil. There is no sight
> glass on the boiler, which makes me think it is hot water, but I also
> can't find any expansion tank, which makes me wonder (I've checked all
> closets, attic, etc. - where could it be hidden?). The psi on the
> system is around 15, which also makes me think it is hot water (too
> high for residential steam). The radiators around the house are all
> old cast iron 2-pipe jobs.
> How can I figure this out for sure?
> TIA
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Posted by Dyvim on May 12, 2006, 2:31 pm
No sight glass. And forgot to mention that there's no circulatory pump
- it's a gravity system. I cross-posted with a photo at
http://forums.invision.net/Main.cfm?CFApp=2
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Posted by PipeDown on May 12, 2006, 2:56 pm
I'm not an expert but I would look first at the radiators. If they have a
steam release valve, they are steam. If they are closed loop, that says hot
water regardless of shape. A single pipe definately says steam but two
pipes could be either.
Does the system also supply residential hot water for the tub and sink. If
so it probably is not steam but there may have been hybrid systems way back
when
> No sight glass. And forgot to mention that there's no circulatory pump
> - it's a gravity system. I cross-posted with a photo at
> http://forums.invision.net/Main.cfm?CFApp=2
>
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Posted by Dyvim on May 12, 2006, 3:13 pm
The radiators look to be designed for hot water. They are 2-pipe, have
horizontal cross-pipes at top and bottom, the inlet and outlet pipes
typically connect to the bottom of the radiator (although on a few the
inlet pipe connects to the top), I do not see any steam traps, and
there's a small valve (but not a relief valve) on the top of every one
typically located on the side opposite the inlet pipe that I believe
can be used to bleed them.
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> system is hot water or steam? I'm confused because I've had 3 plumbers
> in for estimates to replace my boiler - 1 says it is steam, 1 says it
> is hot water, and the 3rd wasn't certain but thought it was hot water.
> I'd always thought it was hot water, but I want to be certain.
> My house has an old cast iron Ideal Redflash boiler from the American
> Radiator Company (which changed names in 1929 the year our house was
> built, so I'm pretty sure this is the house's original boiler) that I
> believe burned coal originally but now burns oil. There is no sight
> glass on the boiler, which makes me think it is hot water, but I also
> can't find any expansion tank, which makes me wonder (I've checked all
> closets, attic, etc. - where could it be hidden?). The psi on the
> system is around 15, which also makes me think it is hot water (too
> high for residential steam). The radiators around the house are all
> old cast iron 2-pipe jobs.
> How can I figure this out for sure?
> TIA