Steam Boilers – About Residential Steam Boilers The steam boiler
is an old convection heating technology dating back over 200
years and is commonly found in older homes. Because steam
boilers operate at a higher temperature than hot water boilers
they are inherently less efficient than their hot water cousins.
They are also a lot more finicky to operate. A steam boiler is
similar to a hot water boiler in that, like a hot water boiler,
the steam boiler also relies upon a heat radiating convection
device in each room (radiator). However, a steam boiler will
usually use a large cast iron radiator instead of a steel or
baseboard convection device. Steam boilers operate like tea
kettle. As water heats to a boil it builds pressure as it
reaches the state of steam. Unlike hot water boilers which rely
upon a pump to circulate the hot water, steam boilers use this
pressure to move the steam through the piping system. The piping
system of a steam boiler is usually a one-pipe or two-pipe
system. One-pipe (or single-pipe