Comfort-Calc

03/17/2026

If you're interested in learning more about meters and electricity, please go to Comfort-Calc.com and click the link to purchase a book from Amazon.
For a brief video on how online troubleshooting works, click the link below.
www.comfort-calc.com/ebp/EB%20Videos/WSExplaination.mp4

02/26/2026

I had another successful day at PPATEC, delivering training on Problem Free Boiler Installation to a diverse group of professionals from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio, and New York. The engaging participation and insightful questions from the attendees made the day pass quickly. The class fostered a productive environment with numerous valuable discussions. I would like to extend my gratitude to the entire group for their active participation.

02/07/2026

Please share this info. Help a friend or neighbor.

02/07/2026

Please share this information, as you may be able to help a friend or neighbor.
The coldest weekend of the winter is coming upon us. The chill factors will be around -20 in my area and even lower in other parts of the country. I have not seen these kinds of temperatures in decades. Here are some tips and information.
First off, many units will struggle to maintain thermostat temperatures. This is not unusual. Heating systems are designed for a specific outdoor air temperature, and this weekend may be well below those temperatures. This does not mean your system is not working as designed. Don't waste your contractor's time; there may be nothing he can do to resolve your problem. Hopefully, you have some supplemental heat you can use to help your heating appliance achieve the thermostat setpoints.
Here are some useful tips.
1. If you have bathrooms or kitchen pipes on an outside wall, leave the vanity or cupboard doors open slightly until the cold snap is over.
2. If you have not changed your furnace or heat pump air filters since the beginning of the heating season or longer, now is the time.
3. If you have a night setback thermostat, it is a good idea to press hold temperature and avoid setting the thermostat down at night because the recovery time will take much longer, sometimes hours.
4. I have seen wood and coal stoves cause frozen pipes over the last 50 years in the heating industry. Try not to heat the entire house with them during the cold snap. It's cheaper to spend the money on your furnace or boiler than to repair frozen pipes. If you have a hot-water boiler and the pipes freeze, it is usually in the heating system.
5. If you have a hot water boiler with baseboard around the exterior walls, check to see if the damper is open on the baseboard runs. Not all baseboards have these. For these baseboards to heat properly, airflow needs to enter the bottom of the baseboard and exit through the top front. There should be no obstructions to airflow from drapes or furniture. A big problem that prevents the baseboard from heating properly is carpet right up to the bottom of the baseboard, which restricts airflow into the baseboard.
6. If you have a hot water boiler check your high limit boiler water temperature. If it is 180 or less you can turn it up to 190f or 200f. I would turn it back down to where the temperature is set tonight after the cold snap. It will use slightly more fuel when it is set higher.
Chill factors affect warm blooded beings. To have chill factors you need wind. The harder the wind blows, the lower the chill factor. The wind will affect your house temperature more by infiltration than by the chill factor temperature. and is not affected by the sun.

01/24/2026

With the upcoming snow and ice storm, there are concerns about home heating systems.
There are many questions. I will supply answers to the FAQ’s.
I recommend beginning with any kitchens or bathrooms that have pipes on or in exterior walls. It is advisable to keep the cabinet doors slightly open to help prevent pipes from freezing.
All heating appliances will run much longer and maybe nan-stop. This is not unusual. Since many areas will be colder than the local design temperatures, some homes may not be able to get to the thermostat settings.
When this happens, many want to blame the heating appliances. It may be related to the system more than the appliance. Usually, if the appliance turns off and back on during a heating demand, the appliance is not the problem; it is more likely due to duct sizing or the amount of installed radiation.
Heat Pumps: Clear snow from around the outdoor unit when it reaches 6" deep, avoiding contact with fins and coils. Remove ice blocking airflow from the top of the unit. Keep home temperature above 2°F if outdoor air is below 19°F.
Continuous operation during cold weather is typical for heat pumps since efficiency drops as temperatures fall. Less heat can be extracted from colder air, leading to higher electricity use; this is usually normalized once the cold spell ends.
How well the heat pump performs during these cold snaps largely depends on proper sizing, including the ducts.
Hot water boilers: For sidewall direct venting, keep vent and intake pipe exits clear of snow and ice. Limit night setback to a maximum of 4°F; for ODR systems, keep setback at or below 2°F for fuel efficiency. During extreme cold, you may temporarily turn off OD reset or increase boiler water temperature for extra heat, but remember to restore settings after the cold snap to save fuel.
Warm-air furnaces: Like hot-water boilers, keep the sidewall vent and air intake termination clear of snow and ice. Night setback can be a little deeper than with a boiler due to faster air recovery, but it causes some short cycling until everything in the home reaches temperature.

01/12/2026

Question of the Week 8
This week, I'm addressing questions about the benefits of nighttime or away thermostat setbacks instead of steam boilers. I usually respond by asking whether the concern is saving fuel and money or comfort. Most people answer "both," but while I can discuss savings, only they can determine their comfort preferences. When you have a quicker recovery, a night setback is less discomfort. The deeper the setback, the longer it takes to recover in the morning. Many thermostats have intelligent recovery. This will start the recovery process earlier, ensuring the temperature is at or near the setpoint when you rise in the morning. Quick changes in temperature, such as a cold snap, will affect recovery times.
Let me give multiple answers to the question of fuel and money savings. The answers can vary depending on the system type.
Note – The Heat pump thermostat typically uses 2-degree increments to avoid activating the electric backup, which can get expensive. If you have a heat pump, verify your thermostat has this parameter. If you turn the temperature up manually, follow the same rule: 2-degree increments.
1. Warm air heating systems are designed to increase the air temperature in a building quickly. As a result, occupants often feel comfortable soon after the system starts operating. However, while the air itself warms up rapidly, furniture and other objects in the space take longer to absorb heat. After the furnace cycles off, the air temperature may begin to drop, leading to a quick decrease in perceived warmth until the furniture and surroundings have also reached the desired room temperature. This process causes the furnace to cycle back on frequently, repeating the heating cycle until both the air and the furnishings are properly warmed and the entire space achieves a consistent, comfortable temperature.
2. Hot Water Boiler System
a. High Temperature – These systems are usually baseboard hot water or cast-iron radiation systems have a reasonably quick recovery time, and will cycle less off the thermostat.
b. Low Temperature – These systems use radiant heat tubing, low temperature output radiation, or cast iron radiation, and may include boilers with outdoor reset controls. As they heat slowly, minimize or eliminate night setback; if used, limit it to 2 degrees for faster recovery.
Back to steam next week

12/22/2025

Question of the Week 7
Question 1 - Where should the water level be in the gauge glass on my steam boiler?
Over 50 years of service in the heating industry, I have heard many responses to this question. There is only one answer, wherever the manufacturer says it should be. They refer to this as the “Normal Water Level” or as the “NWL”. Sometimes this will put the water level 3/4 to 7/8 of the way up the gauge glass.
It is crucial to regularly observe the water level to ensure it remains at the designated normal mark. Operating the boiler with a water level that is too high can lead to carryover of water into the steam system, while a level that is too low risks exposing the boiler sections, potentially causing damage or unsafe conditions. Regular maintenance and monitoring help preserve both safety and efficiency.
Question 2 – I have an automatic water feeder on my steam boiler. Am I still required to check the water level?
Yes, auto-feeders do not replace the need to maintain the water level in the steam boiler. The low water cut-off activates the auto-feeders to add water to the boiler's safe level. In normal operation, when the water level drops to the add water point, the auto-feeder adds enough water to satisfy the electronic probe, but does not feed enough to bring the water to the manufacturer's NWL. If using an auto-feeder, you should also add a water meter to measure the amount of water added to the boiler. The more fresh water you add to the steam system, the shorter the boiler's life becomes due to the addition of more chemicals, oxygen, and minerals.

12/08/2025

Week 5 Question.
Two-part question. Why do I have banging in my radiator? Does having the steam radiator valve partially closed cause a problem?
Banging in steam radiators, although rare, is typically caused by water trapped inside the radiator or pipes, which interferes with the flow of steam. This can happen if the radiator valve is only partially open or if the radiator is not pitched correctly to allow condensed water to drain back toward the boiler.
In a one-pipe steam system, the radiator valves should be fully open or fully closed to ensure proper steam flow and prevent unwanted noise or uneven heating. Partially opening the valve can cause water to collect in the radiator, leading to banging sounds and inefficient heating. If you need to adjust the temperature, it's better to use a thermostatic radiator valve or consult with a heating professional for the best solution.
What is a steam thermostatic radiator valve?
A steam thermostatic radiator valve is a device that regulates the flow of steam into a radiator based on the room’s temperature. It automatically opens or closes to maintain a comfortable environment, improving energy efficiency and providing more consistent heating throughout the space.

12/01/2025

Week 4 Question. Date 12/1/2025
What is the purpose of a Hartford Loop on a steam boiler, and do I always need one installed?
What is the purpose of a Hartford Loop?
A Hartford Loop is a specific piping configuration used in steam boilers to maintain pressure balance and prevent water from escaping the system, thereby helping avoid dangerous situations such as dry-firing or boiler explosions. It was developed in 1919 to improve boiler safety and is essential for the proper operation of steam heating systems.

A Hartford Loop is a specific piping configuration used in steam boilers. It connects the boiler's header to the gravity return line. This design helps maintain pressure balance between the steam being supplied to radiators and the condensate returning to the boiler.
The primary function of the Hartford Loop is to ensure that, in the event of a failure in the condensate return line, water can only escape to a certain level, preventing the boiler from running dry and potentially cracking or exploding.

Do I always need to install one?
A Hartford Loop is not always necessary for every steam boiler installation. Whether you need to install one depends on the type of return piping system in place. If your steam heating system uses either a wet or dry return pipe, it is essential to include a Hartford Loop in the near-boiler piping.
In contrast, if your steam system is equipped with a condensate pump, installing a Hartford Loop is not recommended. The presence of a condensate pump can force water up the equalizer pipe, which may then enter the header. From there, the water could flow down the boiler riser and drop into the boiler, passing through the live steam on top of the boiler water line. This can disrupt regular boiler operation and may lead to issues with steam quality, such as wet steam or reduced system performance.
For more information, see this webpage.
https://www.comfort-calc.com/Steam_Difference_Condensate_Boiler_Feed.html

11/24/2025

Question of the Week
“I asked my contractor if I should insulate the steam pipes in the basement. The last homeowner had the asbestos removed and never re-insulated the pipes”. He said it didn't really matter. “I read online that they should be insulated. What is your opinion”?

Let's not collect opinions; let's collect facts.
Basements are very cool or cold. The steam pipes get cold between cycles, and when the steam boiler turns on and creates steam, it goes into the cold pipe and quickly condenses back to condensate. This makes three different problems, all of which lead to higher fuel bills.
1. This will slow down the heating in the home as the boiler tries to replace the steam in the piping that has condensed. This continues until the entire pipe is hot enough to slow the condensation. This is called a pick-up factor. Let’s put this into perspective.
In the boiler, we will not start with 32°F water, but it makes the point that, for one pound of water, about a pint raises the temperature from 32°F to 212°F. We still have to change the state from liquid to v***r, which takes 970 BTUs per pound. This is 5 times the fuel it took to raise that pound from 32°F to 212°F, only to have it flow into the uninsulated pipe and quickly condense back to water.
2. With all that condensate in the piping, this can cause loud banging called water hammer. Water hammer occurs when live steam comes into contact with water.
3. As more water ends up in the steam system, the water level within the boiler will drop and cause the boiler to take on more water, which could cause boiler flooding.
There are charts showing the amount of BTU loss as a function of the surrounding air temperature. Uninsulated piping usually becomes the largest radiator in the system, possibly even increasing the boiler size and fuel input, costing more to purchase a larger boiler and resulting in higher fuel consumption.
To learn more about insulating the steam pipes, visit this page on the website.

Should steam mains be insulated

11/17/2025

Question of the Week
After getting three quotes for a steam boiler replacement, I received two different boiler sizes.
I asked Comfort-Calc to calculate the heat loss so I know what size steam boiler to have installed. They explained to me that heat loss is usually not done for replacement steam boilers.

Steam boilers, unlike hot water boilers, should never be sized based on heat loss unless you plan to change the radiation size. Changing the radiator size is not a common practice due to the associated cost. To size the steam boiler, measure the height of the radiator from the floor to the top, count the number of columns or tubes, and count the number of cast-iron sections to determine the radiator's length. All the radiators will have to be converted to sq. ft. of steam. Once you have calculated the square footage of steam for all radiators, add them together. This is the total square footage of steam required to heat the radiation. Please review the boiler brochure and match the radiation square footage to the boiler's square footage rating in the manufacturer's literature. Never add anything to the total radiation square footage measurement. The manufacturer has already deducted 33% of the available square feet of steam for system piping losses.

There are reasons to upsize the boilers. When the main steam piping around the basement is uninsulated or the steam mains go through a crawl space or very cold area,

In another question, I will address the uninsulated steam mains.

11/10/2025

An option from Hydrolevel. Takes the place of the old float style LWCO.