help me understand steam heating systems!

[Steel]

I just moved into this palce, and the heating doesnt work! To say: i can manually turn the burner on, but it turns off after 5 minutes and then doesn't turn back on! it's freezing in this place! anyone know what i can do to make it work like it should?

[2strokebloke]

That's weird. Generally there's a main boiler for the building, and you just turn on the steam to the radiators. Can't help you.

[HogieGT-R]

is the boiler even working properly? because if it's steam heat, you should be able to walk around in your shorts when it's like 15 degrees outside......hmmmmm i wonder....i leaned about steam heat in school, but other than ally's older sister's house....never really seen any houses with it.......hmmmm....hopefully things work out for ya man....i know how cold western mass is....my gf lives in Petersham...if it weren't for her wood stove, then her house would be cold as hell....

[Oz]

Move to Australia. No one has central heating - steam or otherwise - because it ain't needed.

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by Oz

Move to Australia. No one has central heating - steam or otherwise - because it ain't needed.

yeah you have central heating...you just open the windows to acces it

[Jimster]

Originally Posted by Neutrino

yeah you have central heating...you just open the windows to acces it

But it's cancelled out by the fact that if you do open your window, then you must face thieves/baby eating dingos/smoke from your neighbours barbie/Steve Irwin/9 of the worlds 10 most deadly snakes/any other commonly associated with Australia stereotypes

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by Jimster

But it's cancelled out by the fact that if you do open your window, then you must face thieves/baby eating dingos/smoke from your neighbours barbie/Steve Irwin/9 of the worlds 10 most deadly snakes/any other commonly associated with Australia stereotypes

yeah but aren't all aussies trained from birth to handle all that...i hear that they use live green mambas and funel spiders as kid toys and crocodiles as culdly pets

[Oz]

Pretty much Neuterino. What keeps the locks on the windows is a deep seated fear of all the Kiwi dole bludgers over here.

[MagicRat]

Hey Oz, when is Paul Hogan coming over??

Now, I know my heating systems!! If the burner keeps going out, it means your thermocouple is not working. The thermocouple has a copper knob that is kept warm by the pilot light. It is a safety device.
If it stops working, it thinks the pilot light has gone out so it shuts off the natural gas or propane or heating oil flow, so your house does not fill up with fumes.
When you manually turn the burner on, you are bypassing this safety device, until the thermostat turns the burner off.

Simple!!

If you need to fix a furnace, ask a Canadian!!

We need the furnace to keep the sled dogs warm. If the furnace stops working then the polar bears get into your igloo, lick yout toes and cleans out your beer cabinet and eats all the pancakes. Then you are late for work chasing the Greenpeacers off the ice flows.
(And every other Canadian cliche!)



PS What is a baby seals favourite drink?

Canadian Club!!!

[Oz]

Paul Hogan lives in the US.

[Neutrino]

Originally Posted by MagicRat

Simple!!

If you need to fix a furnace, ask a Canadian!!

We need the furnace to keep the sled dogs warm. If the furnace stops working then the polar bears get into your igloo, lick yout toes and cleans out your beer cabinet and eats all the pancakes. Then you are late for work chasing the Greenpeacers off the ice flows.
(And every other Canadian cliche!)



PS What is a baby seals favourite drink?

Canadian Club!!!

[quarter_mile]

Who insulted Australia, Die Jerks

[Oz]

Originally Posted by quarter_mile

Who insulted Australia, Die Jerks

[Jimster]

You'll die before me so there

[Steel]

I found out: there was a water-hammer in the pipes somewhere, and they needed to be bled and some shit to get it working right. So many complications with steam.

About the thermocouple, that was the situation for the hot water heater. Damn old houses. Luckily it took only aobut 5 minutes to fix each. Good thing, cause its FREAKING COLD NOW! Thanks for your cold air, CANADA!