What most contractors get wrong about Pittsburgh boilers and radiators
Pittsburgh runs on hydronic and steam heat, and most contractors misunderstand both. Here is what they get wrong, and how a boiler should actually be done.
The biggest things most contractors get wrong about Pittsburgh boiler and radiator homes are these: radiators heat mostly by convection, not radiation, so the paint color and the cover around them affect how much heat they put out. And the near-boiler piping is where corners get cut, sloppy piping, wrong pumping, and missing safety devices. When a boiler is done by Wahl, you get a heating contractor and a plumbing contractor in one, which is exactly what hydronic and steam systems need.
Pittsburgh has both hydronic and steam heat, and we do both
This city is full of old homes running boilers, both hydronic (hot water) and steam, and we handle both. Going through hydronic training classes over the years, we have learned a tremendous amount, and we are one of Pittsburgh’s leading contractors in hydronic heat. We are not guessing at how to do boilers. We are the expert and the authority. So let me tell you what the other guys keep getting wrong.
Mistake 1: thinking radiators give off radiant heat
Most people, including a lot of contractors, think of radiators as producing radiant heat. There is some truth to that, but most radiators actually heat through the process of convection, air moving across the hot metal, warming, and circulating through the room.
Why does that matter to you? Because if it is convection doing most of the work, then the paint color on the radiator and the covering around it have a lot to do with its heating capacity. Cover a radiator, or use a vent control that chokes off the airflow, and you are actually controlling how much heat goes into that room. People paint and box in their radiators without realizing they are changing the output. That is the kind of detail we understand and most do not.
Mistake 2: cutting corners on the near-boiler piping
This is the one that really gets me. The near-boiler piping, the pipes, pumps, and fittings right around the boiler itself, is where I see contractors cut corners constantly. Sloppy piping, the wrong pumping setup, and worst of all, missing safety devices.
We make sure to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations and then go above and beyond them, with the proper piping and pumping. And we include all the necessary safeties that I see so many heating contractors forget when they are doing boilers. Those safeties are not optional. Skipping them is exactly the kind of corner we flat out refuse to cut.
Why hiring a heating and plumbing contractor in one matters
A boiler is where heating and plumbing meet. The water side, the pumping, the safety valves, the piping, this is plumbing as much as it is heating. When you get a boiler done by Wahl, you have the benefit of a heating contractor and a plumbing contractor under one roof. You can be confident it is going to be done the right way, with real expertise on both sides.
What good boiler work looks like
- Near-boiler piping done to the manufacturer’s spec and beyond, not jerry-rigged.
- Every required safety device installed, no exceptions.
- An honest conversation about your radiators, their covers, and their actual heat output.
- The right approach to sizing, which is completely different for steam versus hot water (we cover that in steam boiler sizing).
If you have an old boiler home and want it done by people who treat it like the specialty it is, start with our guide on how to pick a boiler or learn more about hot water boilers.
The quick version
- Most radiators heat by convection, not radiation, so paint and covers change their output.
- Choking the airflow around a radiator is actually a way to control its heat.
- Near-boiler piping is where contractors cut corners: sloppy piping, wrong pumping, missing safeties.
- We follow manufacturer specs and go beyond them, and we install every required safety device.
- A boiler done by Wahl gives you a heating and plumbing contractor in one.
Most contractors think radiators give off radiant heat. They are mostly convection, which is why the paint and the cover change how much heat you get.
And the near-boiler piping is where I see corners cut every time, sloppy work and missing safeties. We are not guessing at boilers. We are the authority, and we do it the right way.
David WahlCEO & Master Plumber, Wahl Family
Want a Pittsburgh company that does it the right way, the first time?
Call 1-855-GET-WAHLFrequently asked questions
Do radiators give off radiant or convection heat?
Mostly convection. There is some radiant component, but most radiators heat a room by warming the air moving across them, which then circulates. That is why the paint color and any cover around the radiator affect how much heat it actually delivers to the room.
Does painting a radiator change how it heats?
It can. Because radiators heat largely by convection, the paint and especially any cover or enclosure influence the heat output. Choking off the airflow around a radiator, for example with a cover or a vent control, actually reduces how much heat goes into that room.
What is near-boiler piping and why does it matter?
Near-boiler piping is the arrangement of pipes, pumps, and fittings immediately around the boiler. It is where we most often see contractors cut corners with sloppy piping, the wrong pumping, and missing safety devices. Done correctly to and beyond the manufacturer’s spec, it is critical to a safe, efficient boiler.
Why hire a company that does both heating and plumbing for a boiler?
A boiler sits right where heating and plumbing meet, the water side, pumping, safety valves, and piping are all plumbing work as much as heating. With a heating and plumbing contractor in one, you get the full expertise the job actually requires instead of half of it.
What safety devices should a boiler have?
A properly installed boiler includes the safeties the manufacturer requires, and we go beyond the minimum. We frequently find heating contractors who skip these, which is dangerous. We will not install a boiler without every required safety device in place.
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