Reasons Why the System is Losing Water (That Doesn't Return), and Where to Look for Solutions
You can't see all the pipes. If you can't see them, suspect them. This is especially true of buried lines.
Steam Heating → Troubleshooting 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.
Recent Articles in Steam Heating → Troubleshooting
Reasons Why the Return Lines Are Clogged, and Where to Look for Solutions
The system is corroding. All steam systems are open to the atmosphere. Whenever you mix water with iron and steel you're going to get rust, and that rust is going to wash...
Reasons Why the Radiators Don't Heat All The Way Across, and Where to Look for Solutions
Are you sure they're supposed to? Keep in mind the Dead Men sized those radiators to heat the room to a comfortable temperature on the coldest day of the year. That's the...
Reasons Why There's Too Much Water in the Pipes, and Where to Look for Solutions
Steam and condensate flow in the same direction, and the pitch is less than one-inch in 20 feet. There should be no areas where condensate can gather when the system shut...
Reasons Why the Fuel Bills Are Abnormally High, and Where to Look for Solutions
The air vents aren't working. And if they're not, the system will trap air and drive the fuel bills up. Steam and air are both gases, but steam is lighter than air so the...
Reasons Why the Condensate- or Boiler-Feed Pump is Misbehaving, and Where to Look for Solutions
The strainer is clogged. There should be a wye or a basket strainer on the inlet to the condensate pump. This strainer's job is to collect sediment from the system before...
Reasons Why the Burner Shuts Off on Low Water, and Where to Look for Solutions
The system is leaking. Do you have buried return lines? If so, they may be leaking.
Reasons Why the Boiler Water is Dirty, and Where to Look for Solutions
You may be asking for too much. Since a steam system is open to the atmosphere and constantly rusting and corroding, it's very difficult to keep the water pure. You shoul...
The 25 Steps in the Repair of a Vacuum Steam System
1. Long ago, a Dead Man decided to heat a big building with a steam system. Since it was such a big building, and since pipe, valves and fittings have never been cheap, t...
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.