What is a Barometric Damper?
One of the most misunderstood items inside a boiler room is a barometric damper. The barometric damper is used to control the draft inside a boiler. It is installed on bo...
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.
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Seminars
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Steam for Breweries and Food-Processing Applications
Steam Piping
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System Pressure
Thermostatic Radiator Valves
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Troubleshooting
Vacuum
Venting
Water Hammer
Water Level & Steam Quality
Water Quality
Zoning
Recent Articles in Steam Heating
Boiler-Safety Controls
When looking at a commercial boiler, there are many controls mounted on and around it. It reminds me of a Christmas tree with ornaments hanging from it. The function and ...
Boiler Choices
One of the choices to be made when tasked with a boiler replacement project is whether to use a condensing or standard efficiency boiler. There are several considerations...
Common Steam-Boiler-Replacement Mistakes
As we are entering the time that most commercial boiler projects are being planned and installed, I would like to share some common steam boiler oversights that I rarely ...
Four Boiler-Room Myths
Growing up with a red-haired, Irish mother, I had to learn all the Irish superstitions. The following are some of the examples: Never cross a person on the stairs in a ho...
Understanding Flame Safeguards
As I accompanied my friend from the local utility company into the boiler room, I noticed that the covers were off all the electrical boxes and wires were hanging out of ...
When Is The Best Time to Perform a Boiler Combustion Analysis?
There is a disagreement in our industry as to when is the ideal time to perform a combustion analysis on boilers. Some believe that it is best performed in the fall prior...
How to Paint an Old Radiator
The homeowner was frantic in his e-mail to me because he had painted a few of his old radiators over the weekend and as soon as the heat came on they smelled carcinogenic...
The Dangers of Raising the Water Line
I once met a guy in the fuel oil business who tried to make things easy for his steam customers. They’d call in the spring and complain that they didn’t have enough domes...
Snowstorm Safety Tips
When deep (and persistent) snow arrives, danger arrives with it. I asked the professionals on The Wall what homeowners should do (and not do) to stay safe and here's some...