What Is a Steam Heating System?
Steam heating, more more often found in older homes, has advantages and disadvantages. Steam heating systems remain popular in historical homes and can give homeowners a long life of warmth. Does this Spark an idea?
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Function
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A steam heating system relies on a boiler to heat water, which creates steam. The steam is then transmitted through pipes to radiators located throughout the home. The radiators disperse the heat from the steam into the rooms.
Types
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There are single-pipe and two-pipe steam systems. In the former, steam goes from the boiler to a radiator, filling it, and then condenses. The resulting water travels back through the pipe to the boiler. In a two-pipe setup, steam comes into a radiator through one pipe and the condensed water returns to the boiler through another.
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Benefits
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Steam heating systems have relatively few parts, making them sturdy and dependable. The heat they produce is very clean and free of the dust common with furnaces. They also work well to heat apartment and other buildings with multiple residences.
Disadvantages
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Steam heating isn't very efficient, which can raise costs. Older systems in homes can have an efficiency rating as low as 55 percent to 70 percent. Steam systems also tend to spread heat unevenly, and they require yearly maintenance by a professional.
Considerations
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Though popular in older homes, steam heating systems should be replaced if they're too old or worn out. You can upgrade some of them to a more efficient system without too much expense.
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References
- Photo Credit Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of jRa7 QaTar
