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Steam boiler -- how full is too full?

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Posted by Jim Holm on January 30, 2005 at 12:08:06:

I live in a 100 year old apartment building with single-pipe steam heating. We have a boiler that is probably 25-30 years old, and gas-powered. The building is 7 stories and probably has between 150 and 200 active radiators still on the system (many lines have been capped).

The watch glass for the boiler shows a water level that is fine when the boiler is running (lines up with the main regulator valve), but after the boiler cycles off, the water level rises so that there is no "space" in the watch glass.

We get some minor water hammer on the risers furthest from the boiler, but nothing outrageous.

Is there any rule of thumb about keeping the boiler from getting too full? Should our manager be draining it regularly to keep the water level lower than it gets?

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: I live in a 100 year old apartment building with single-pipe steam heating. We have a boiler that is probably 25-30 years old, and gas-powered. The building is 7 stories and probably has between 150 and 200 active radiators still on the system (many lines have been capped). : The watch glass for the boiler shows a water level that is fine when the boiler is running (lines up with the main regulator valve), but after the boiler cycles off, the water level rises so that there is no "space" in the watch glass. : We get some minor water hammer on the risers furthest from the boiler, but nothing outrageous. : Is there any rule of thumb about keeping the boiler from getting too full? Should our manager be draining it regularly to keep the water level lower than it gets?

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