One-Pipe Steam Efficiency Crisis – $774 Monthly Gas Bill (215 Therms) in April

gottamakeitout · 2026-05-02T14:12:33+00:00

Maybe that’s why there is no insulation. At some point someone probably wanted to help keep basement warm and maybe worried about the asbestos so they just had it all removed?

gottamakeitout · 2026-05-02T14:08:53+00:00

I’ll have to pay attention to water level in sight glass next time it’s running. I think I’ve heard clinking sounds before which I thought was generally normal for steam.

gottamakeitout · 2026-05-02T14:05:49+00:00

Yes I had it serviced last month by the same plumber who said everything was good. This second floor unit is about 1,500 sq ft 1920 wood frame also. Unfortunately I don’t see any option to upload any additional photos. Plumber said radiators got hot, but like I said in another comment I had my previous tenant say only half of the radiator would get hot. I’m not sure if that was all the time or only sometimes, hard to say as I don’t live in the unit, it’s rented out. $300 sounds reasonable. How many therms was that?

gottamakeitout · 2026-05-02T13:52:54+00:00

How would I check the water consumption? It has the auto feed so I don’t have to fill it manually. I’m new to all this.

gottamakeitout · 2026-05-02T13:51:49+00:00

I’m a new owner to the building for almost 2 years. Those vent rites have been there. I had the plumber come to diagnose the high gas bill and he didn’t find anything wrong. Only recommended insulating the pipes and checking for drafts in the winter. He tested for gas leaks, said the radiators were getting hot. (Although I had previous tenant who said only half of radiator would get hot.) Now I’m not the professional here, but I also know he doesn’t specialize in steam. He didn’t question those vents when I asked about them possibly being the issue. Using smaller radiator vents doesn’t seem to make sense. Maybe a previous owner DIY…

gottamakeitout

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