Seasonal Steam System Check-Up Saves Money

By Philip Kraus

With the refreshing cool of Fall upon us, it is hard to imagine the chills of Winter.  Unfortunately, like taxes and war, Winter strikes every year.  What does one think of when the word “Winter” is mentioned?  Images of frozen streets, another Christmas without snow, and yes, buildings without heat.  Who can honestly say that they have never had their heat go off in the middle of December?  Not many people, to be sure.  But fortunately, there is an easy solution to winter heating woes – have your building’s steam system checked in the midst of the sunshine of September.

Reasons to Check the Steam System
There are two advantages to checking a steam system now, rather than either waiting for it to break down in the middle of the heating season or not checking it at all.  First, preventing a breakdown will save time, money, and aggravation.  No one wants to deal with the wrath of a building’s tenants if the heat or hot water suddenly goes off.  In addition, emergency repairs will certainly be an expensive (and painful) proposition.

The second reason to check the steam system is that by doing so, it is possible to greatly to increase the heating system’s efficiency.  In many buildings, a huge amount of money is wasted through the inefficiency of the heating and hot water systems.  For example, one building spent about $70,000 annually on heating bills.  However, after a check-up of the high pressure steam system, the bills were reduced by forty percent; those are savings any building could use.  Of course, there is no guarantee that checking the steam system will result in savings on the heating bill, but the checkup is definitely worthwhile.

The Nature of the Steam System
One might ask, “Why should I get the steam system checked? Why would a test now prevent an accident in January?” To answer these questions, it is necessary to understand a little about the nature of the steam system and the parts that should be checked.  Steam is used by all buildings for both general heat and heat used for hot water.  The steam comes from two possible sources:  Con Edison steam pipes, or boilers in the basement.  The two systems are similar, except that Con Ed steam comes in an extremely high pressure, which must be reduced by valves before the steam can be used by the building.  The steam flows in pipes throughout the entire building, providing heat and hot water to each apartment.

Problem Areas of Steam Systems
In the steam system, there are two main areas that are potential sources of problems.  The first are the various steam controls.  These mostly consist of valve controls that regulate the flow of the steam, and therefore the heat available to each apartment.  If these controls become worn with age, they may break during the Winter. Many mechanical devices tend to break when they are used infrequently, and these controls (which are used for a third of the year, at most) are no exception.  If they were to break, there could be serious damage to the entire steam system. For example, if a regulating device were to malfunction, enormous quantities of expensive steam could be wasted. Or, if a pressure control were to malfunction, pipe damage could result from the buildup in pressure, just as the lid on a pot of boiling water can be dislodged by the buildup of steam. 

The other parts of the steam system that need to be checked are the steam traps. Steam traps perform a simple, but necessary, task in the steam system.  Once steam heats a particular radiator, it condenses into water as it cools.  Steam traps regulate this process, and separate the condensed water and air from the steam.  Without the steam traps, the heating system would not work.  The problem with steam traps is that they are very sensitive.  Because the traps are so sensitive, they often fail; in fact, the average life of a steam trap is between three and five years.

Hidden Troubles Decrease Efficiency
If a steam trap fails in the closed position, a portion of the building’s heating system will be shut down.  However, most of the time, steam traps fail in the open position, and no one knows about it.  Nothing will stop working, but the heating system will become extremely inefficient.  Steam will flow uselessly to the outside, and the building will now in effect be trying to heat the Great Outdoors.   For the tenants in the building, there will still be heat, though it may be uneven, and more money will be spent by the building on the heating bill.  This is the reason why checking a steam system can greatly improve the efficiency of a building’s heating system; many times, these are problems with the system, but no one is aware of the situation, because everything seems to be in working order.

Steam traps are located in two different places within a building. First, there are large, central steam traps located in the basement. These should be routinely checked as part of the steam system check-up by an outside plumbing and heating contractor. Second, steam traps exist in every radiator in every apartment. A building’s staff can check these steam traps, in conjunction with the outside check-up.  These inspections are quick and simple, so an entire building’s traps can be checked with ease. 

So, now is the best time to check your building’s steam system.  The heating portion of an HVAC system, including heat exchangers, tube bundles, and their respective controls, pumps, and water make-up devices should also be checked.  At this point, the building will be ready for the coming months.  The chances of a break-down that will leave the building without heat and/or hot water are greatly reduced, and the building may even save a good deal of money in the process.  Checking the steam system is a wise move in many different ways, and can make the difference between a happy Winter in New York City and one fraught with trouble.   

Fred Smith Plumbing & Heating’s steam heating experts provide annual steam system check-ups upon request. (212-744-1300)

Philip J. Kraus is President of Fred Smith Plumbing & Heating Co., Inc.,  a New York City Master Licensed Plumber, and a Licensed Fire Suppression Piping Contractor. He has provided plumbing and heating services to New York City’s residential cooperative and condominium buildings for over 40 years.

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