Steam Heat

Focused on 100% customer satisfaction

Steam heat systems utilize boilers – usually with a gas or oil-fired burners- to heat water, which turns into steam. The steam then travels through pipes to radiators or convectors to distribute heat to individual rooms.

HERE ARE A FEW SIGNS THAT YOUR STEAM HEAT SYSTEM MIGHT NEED SOME HELP:

Noise:

If you have steam heat do you have to live with a certain amount of noise? Not necessarily. The noise that comes from steam heat systems is called “water hammer.” It is a banging or thumping sound that occurs in the steam piping due to improper pipe design or improper piping pitch.

Water hammer can be reduced with an upgrade or modification to the plumbing. Insulating pipes does wonders in some homes. Nearly 25% of the heat generated from the boiler is lost to the basement due to a lack of insulation. Or, the quality of the steam might be bad due to high pH content or dirty water. Cleaning it up can quiet things down. These are just a few of issues and solutions surrounding water hammer and noise. Working with one of our experts to identify the problem is the first step in reducing the noise.

INCONSISTENT HEAT

If you have chilly spots in your home or building- because a radiator or convector isn’t working properly- that is a sign that your system needs some tweaking. Sometimes it’s the radiator itself, or sometimes it’s an issue behind the scenes. Was the steam system sized correctly? Where is the radiator relative to the boiler? What’s the quality of the steam being produced at the boiler? Whatever the cause, we can help you get to the bottom of the problem and get even heat throughout.

BOILER LIFESPAN

Most boilers should last decades, provided they are properly installed and well maintained. But once they’ve gone past their normal lifespan, you may see recurring problems and it might be time to consider replacement. Replacing a boiler can have a big impact on your heating bills. But, it’s definitely not something you want to deal with when you need your boiler up and running! Be proactive and replace your decades-old boiler before the cold weather comes.

FREQUENT REFILLS

If your boiler is requiring very frequent refills, it’s a good sign that the system needs a checkup. Leaks should be addressed and repaired immediately.