Water Hammer in Steam Heating Systems
Need to get rid of the water hammer in a steam heating system? Here's a checklist of things to look for. I hope you find it a good one to keep on file.
Steam Heating Help Topics
This section is your comprehensive guide on steam heating systems with articles about proper steam piping, boilers, pressure, venting, radiators, water quality, and more. We'll also walk you through troubleshooting steam system problems like noisy pipes.
Steam Heating Categories
Basics
Boilers
Case Study
Combustion
Commercial Heating
Efficiency
Heat Exchangers
Heating System Conversion
Indirect Heating Systems
Indoor Air Quality
Insulation
One-Pipe Steam
Radiators
Safety Valves
Seminars
Steam Coils
Steam for Breweries and Food-Processing Applications
Steam Piping
Steam Traps
Steam Velocity
System Pressure
Thermostatic Radiator Valves
Thermostats
Troubleshooting
Vacuum
Venting
Water Hammer
Water Level & Steam Quality
Water Quality
Zoning
Recent Articles in Steam Heating
Best Thermostats for Steam Systems
Someone on The Wall asks, "What is the best thermostat for a steam system?" Bill Wolfe replies: First, a couple questions. Do you have central AC? Is the house vacant dur...
What I've Learned About Steam Pressure
It had stood on this corner just off Wall Street in Manhattan for nearly a century. It stood witness to the comings and goings of countless people who never gave much tho...
Steam Velocity
One of the things I had to get through my thick skull when I was young and learning about steam heat was that raising the pressuretrol setting wasn't going to get the bui...
Steam Piping and Pressure Differential
A New York City contractor called me a last winter to tell me about a situation that he had gotten himself into. We’ll call him Augie because that’s close enough. "The ol...
Why You Should Insulate Steam Pipes
When you take an old house under your wing you sometimes also get to take possession of an old steam heating system and an awful lot of asbestos insulation that goes alon...
How Vacuum Can Form in a Steam System
I heard from an old friend the other day. This guy works in Brooklyn, NY, and usually on some very interesting stuff. He's not one to say fuggedaboutit when there's a pro...
The Importance of Near-Boiler Piping in a Steam System
Years ago, steam heating was a business of installing complete systems and not just a business of replacing boilers and fixing problems, as it is today. Manufacturers mad...
Why Do Steam Coils Freeze?
This e-mail showed up in my inbox one day. "Our problem is that five out of hundreds of univentilator coils freeze up on a regular basis. They are part of two pipe steam ...
What is a Drop Header?
A question asked on The Wall: "What's the point of building a drop header for a steam boiler, and what does it look like?" Steamhead replies: The drop header keeps water ...