A matter of steam balance

摘要

The phone call: Not even the best hydronic sleuthing solves every problem the first time. That was the case here. Some venting changes that I had recommended to a contractor hadn't solved the uneven heat problem on a two-pipe steam system. The radiators farthest away from the boiler were still cold. Inadequate venting of the steam mains and returns is a common cause of this problem, so the venting changes I had recommended were the logical first step. Unfortunately, it wasn't the final one. The contractor understood that this happens sometimes.