Steam heating to electric baseboard conversion

[Oleg Mikhailov]

I own a 10+ unit brick building in the North East. 

The heating system in the building is single pipe steam radiators. The system is old, heating is inefficient, some units heat up to 90+ degrees, some units don't heat up enough. There are a lot of tenant complaints. "Too hot, too cold, valves are leaking ", etc.

So I'm contemplating converting the system to electric baseboard. And would be interested in opinions.

Advantages would be:

1. Low upfront cost of installation.

2. Each unit will have its own thermostat and be able to control the heat resulting in fewer tenant complaints 

3. Reduced costs of plumbing and floor damages from radiator valve leaks

Main disadvantage:

1. Cost of running electric baseboard heat is approx 2x as expensive as gas/steam

Questions:

Currently heat is paid by landlord. Rents are already high and pushing heating costs onto tenants could be problematic. What are possible solutions to reducing the cost of operating the system without offloading the cost to tenants?  Some solutions I've heard include:

1. setting the system on a timer (30 min on/30 min off), which would bring the costs back inline with gas;

2. Installing sub-meters in each unit where the landlord pays a base amount and the tenant pays the balance 

Are there other solutions to this issue that I may have overlooked?  Any comments or suggestions?

Thank you for your feedback.

[Tom W.]

Oleg Mikhailov The tenant complaints you are receiving are typical of an older steam heating system. In my experience I have very often seen that the boilers have been maintained or replaced over the years but very little has been done to maintain the rest of the system. Sometimes all that is required to bring everything into peak operating condition is some fairly minor repair work. A lot depends on the overall condition of the piping but here are some basics on steam systems.

First, steam heating systems are not necessarily inefficient. They are usually not installed as new systems anymore because the initial upfront cost of materials and labor is way too high compared to most other choices these days. They also aren't as aesthetically pleasing as more modern systems and the radiators tend to take up a lot of floor space. They do, however, produce a nice even heat when they are operating correctly because once those big cast iron radiators are warmed up they hold that heat for quite awhile.

Second, the main reason for complaints about uneven heating throughout a single pipe steam system is not a problem with the boiler or the piping system but with the air vents installed on each radiator. These vents have one function and that is to allow air to escape from the radiator. I'm sure if you have ever been near one of the radiators when the heating system is operating you have heard these vents hissing. Their function is to allow air to escape from the radiator so that it can fill with steam. Once the steam reaches the vent it closes and holds the steam in. It stays closed until the radiator begins to cool and the steam condenses then opens again to allow more steam in. Over the years these vents fail and either don't allow enough steam to enter causing a cold condition or they stick open allowing steam to enter nonstop causing too much heat plus allowing steam and water to leak out. These automatic vents are fairly inexpensive and easy to replace. There is a trick to them however. They come in different sizes so that they release air in different volumes. The larger ones are installed at the furthest radiators and the smaller ones closest to the boiler. The idea is to allow steam to reach all of the radiators at the same rate. Fortunately new vents can be installed that are adjustable so they can be fine tuned after installation so exact sizes don't have to be determined. The replacement of these vents will probably be the single best improvement you can make to improve your tenants comfort.

Third, there are ways you can provide your tenants with individual heating control. There are thermostatically controlled valves that can be installed on each radiator. They are self contained and non-electric. They allow the tenant to adjust the output of the radiator by turning a dial on the valve. They are not as accurate as a new modern thermostat but they do allow the tenant some control. There are not overly expensive compared with your other options but they do not, however, provide a means of separate billing.

Bottom line, find an HVAC contractor who is familiar with steam heating systems. This could be a little difficult since we tend to be a dying breed but they are out there. Have him do a survey of your system. You may find you can bring this system back into acceptable condition for less expense than you might think.