Radiator Steam Traps: An Effective Method to Cut Carbon Emissions and Save on Energy Bills

In buildings with radiators, complying with carbon reduction requirements has many boards flabbergasted at the cost of some of the technology that will get them to the finish line. But some boards have focused on smaller, less expensive fixes and reaped significant results. Spencer Kraus, a vice president at Fred Smith Plumbing, points to one in particular — the humble steam trap. “When buildings think about reducing their carbon footprint, the usual suspects are oil, gas and electricity usage during the heating season, which dominate the discussion,” he says. “The steam trap is a seemingly small component, but it plays a crucial role.” 

How it works. When the temperature drops, the boiler kicks into action, heating water to create steam, which travels through a building’s labyrinth of pipes to heat the radiators in each apartment. Each radiator has a steam trap, which operates like a gatekeeper, allowing steam to enter the radiator until it reaches the desired temperature and then closing to retain heat. However, if a trap malfunctions and is stuck open or closed — even in just some units and not others — it can wreak havoc. “An open trap leads to wasted steam,” Kraus explains. “Conversely, a closed trap starves a radiator of heat, leaving tenants in the cold. There’s a lack of even heat throughout the building.”

Well worth the investment. The repercussions of malfunctioning traps go beyond comfort. “It hits where it hurts the most — your pocketbook,” Kraus says. “You crank up the boiler to create more steam and pressure to try to compensate for the lack of even heat, and your heating bill goes up exponentially.” Indeed, a building with outdated or poorly maintained traps can see its energy bills soar as much as 30%. “You should be able to run your boiler at 1 1/2, 2 pounds of pressure, but instead you’re pumping up 5 or 6 pounds, so you’re more than doubling the expense and energy,” he explains. That in turn increases a building’s carbon emissions, which can lead to hefty fines. The expenses add up quickly, which is why replacing steam traps is a smart investment in the long run, since the savings achieved can offset the initial replacement costs within just a few years.

Sticking to a schedule. Steam traps typically last anywhere from five to 10 years, so it’s wise to take a proactive approach by establishing a regular inspection and replacement schedule during the warmer months to prevent them from becoming costly liabilities. And when it comes time to install new ones, boards should prepare residents for the process, which can be disruptive. “It requires going into each apartment, which typically has multiple radiators, all of which have to be disconnected in order to remove the old traps and put in new ones,” Kraus says. And a certain order should be followed. “You don’t want to change them horizontally on a whole floor but do it vertically so you’re addressing all the traps on the same riser,” he says. “That way can also be easier on your budget because you can have, say, the A line addressed one year and do the B one the next, and so forth.”

Buildings can go a step further by installing high-tech controls that monitor and modulate temperatures throughout the building. “That way you can open up more steam to the colder side and throttle back the steam going to the warmer side,” Kraus says. “Ideally, doing that and changing your traps would give you the most energy savings. But definitely change your traps. It’s an easy fix.”