Moving major steam pipe
Forget plumbers. Look for heating contractors
ellenlourie
in Heating 12 years and 5 months ago
5
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5 replies
yanks21 | 12 years and 5 months ago
http://cdn.brownstoner.com/511b99d1d94ae-.jpg
We have a steam heating pipe coming right out of the boiler room (that insulated sections further back in photo) and cuts right through a small storage room in our basement. It literally goes through the wall on one side and out through the other wall. It supplies the radiators on the far side of the building. However, due to it’s low height cutting through the room, it really makes that room unusable so we’d like to redirect the pipe around that room. It’d take adding two new angles (no vertical angle, just horizontal ones) to the direction of that pipe to route it around the outside of the room instead of through the room. I also realize this is a major pipe and messing with it can affect the whole system- any advice on how much of a job this is and cost? I’m definitely going to do it because we need that room to be functional, so it’s not about whether or not it’s a good or bad idea, just about what kind of job it is to do. For something like this, I am obviously looking to get it done by a licensed plumber. FYI- in the photo, the pipe has insulation in the hallway and not wrapped in the storage room– photo is from inside the storage room looking into the hallway and shows pipe leading directly into boiler room on other side of that hallway wall.
berniceshola | 12 years and 5 months ago
Curious to hear the answer on this as well. My boiler is in the center of the basement, and when I replace it I’d like to move it and the hotwater heater to the front of the house and reroute these same center-hanging pipes. Master Plvmber, what’s the word on these kind of jobs?
elbow | 12 years and 5 months ago
We had this done to accomodate the range hood for a commercial kitchen. Our work also involved gas, hot and cold water lines, so my pricing info won’t help, but the work seemed pretty straight forward and didn’t affect any of the systems. I think it took the plumber about a day.
Master Plvmber | 12 years and 5 months ago
The word on this is every one is different. I did one about 4 years ago for $2,500 and took a beating on it. Once you move that main pipe, everything else has to be piped to it and maintain pitch all the while. It also changes the way steam moves around from branch to branch so it made the rate at which the radiators heat up just a little different; not enough to call it a problem or for the client to complain, but it was noticeable. These types of jobs need to be looked at and figured for very carefully. I’m undoing one (by another company) in South Orange, NJ next week where a main pipe was moved to clear a walking area to a new washer/dryer and it caused half a large home’s radiators to go dead.
I’m undoing it for $1,000.00 as part of a larger scope of work for the home’s new owner. Bottom line is my initial reaction is to advise against it, but if you feel the pipe is standing between you and happiness then it’s worth a look to see what it would take or if it’s possible at all.
steam_man | 12 years and 5 months ago
The work can be done. As was stated by my esteemed colleague, every job is different depending on the branches. So that factor will greatly affect the price. The thing with a typical residential steam main is that it runs below the joists and has to have consistent pitch. So no matter where you put that thing your height really isn’t going to change, just the location will. We do steam pipe all the time so the “hows” of it are pretty simple. The question is always why. Honestly it isn’t going to be cheap to do it properly if the pipe is over 2″ diameter (which it mostly is 2.5″ or 3″ depending on the size of the home or typical 4 story apt bldg) and there are any intermediate branches in the section you want to replace. At 3″ I most likely would just weld the thing, thread the risers and make a swing joint or two and be done. But most likely you don’t even have to go near the near boiler piping. Really it’s the pitch that’s critical or you are going to be hammering like mad. Also, make sure that the price includes re-insulating. Sometimes a smart layout and a little comprimise work wonders for the pocketbook. My advice would be to have a follow up conversation with your plumber or mechanical contractor with more details.