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Posted by Heatpro on January 02, 2006 at 10:57:27:
In Reply to: heating question posted by Joe on January 02, 2006 at 01:41:25:
Yes, that is very likely the cause. Thermostat anticipators for steam heat are set at the widest swing or fewest cycles per hour to allow the system to absorb heat. The feature that salesmen use to sell cast-iron boilers, radiators and baseboard is that the cast-iron stores heat. You have to give the radiation time to do that storing. It might be warm enough in the rooms that surround the thermostat in the core of the house; but the far ones need that extra time. Smaller steam vent holes in the core rooms can extend the run time to let the end rooms heat as well.
Before 1930, they didn't have thermostats at all. The solid fuel fire was started in the late fall and the fire stayed on until late spring. Steam residential systems were designed before the 1880's; but people keep trying to drag it unwillingly into the new millenium with post 1980's ideas like electronic setback thermostats.