I have a 2 family house that was vandalized wherein the copper pipes and steam radiators were taken away leaving the two steam boilers. The house needs at least 11 steam radiators to bring it back to work and these radiators are costly. I have been advised to buy used radiators and put the system back to work. As it may be difficult to find used radiators, I am thinking of putting new hot water boilers and putting baseboard heating units. I am looking forward for suggestions or alternatives.Also, I wonder whether I can change steam boiler to hot water boiler? The systems are gas based.Thanks
do/did you have a one pipe steam system or is it a two pipe system ? as for copper above the water line of a steam boiler is not safe and it most places i am sure not up to code .hot water systems run on smaller pipes ( you can use pex tubing which are less expensive and of no value to vandals) steam pipes need to be a bit larger just by laws of physics. you can convert any radiator to steam or to hot water. i would think your best bet if you have to purchase new that baseboard (slant fin ) type with hot water boilers are your best bet . i have never heard of a boiler being converted from steam to hot water.
There is a way to use the steam boilers for hot water systems but it requires special check valves and pumps. It will require a lot more fuel because it will heat the water to over 212 degrees to make steam because the controls are different as far as temperatures go.Most hot water systems shut off when the temps reach about 180. So why waste the additional fuel. It will be costly to buy all those radiators to keep it steam. Hydroponic baseboards cost about $10.00 a foot. Installation not included. Most new hot water boilers are more efficient and a lot smaller than the old steamers you have. You are probably looking at about close to $16,000. for both boilers and baseboard installed. Most gas companies have deals as far as installations of new heating systems. Give them a call to see what they offer. You might be able to budget it out with them. You may up spending about 6 or 7 thousand for replacement radiators and still have two older furnaces that might give you trouble and have to replaced anyway.. Add up both figures and pick the one that you can afford at this time, but give the future a little consideration also.
if i were you i would look into purchasing a heat exchanger it will look like a torpedo.it will be a shell and have a copper coil in it.the steam will feed into the shell and the hot water will cir.threw the coil.i would not replace the steam boilers.then u can run baseboard .they do sell cast iron baseboard its expensive but holds the heat longer than fin tube.the steam will maintain temp. in the heat exchange and a call for heat will bring on a pump to cir. water threw the baseboard.u can change it to hot water by adding expansion tank and changeing the control setting i have done it.the heat exchanger is the way to go steam is very efficent source of heat.
