Written on: July 1, 2026 by Dan Vastyan
There’s a certain rhythm to a well-tuned steam system. It’s almost imperceptible; the gentle rise of heat through cast-iron radiators, a soft whisper in the mains and little else. However, if that rhythm is disrupted, occupants notice immediately.
That was the case at a mixed-use building in Floral Park, NY, earlier this year. The two-story, 4,000 sq ft building in Long Island’s Nassau County features a bar on the ground floor and eight residential units above. Persistent complaints of banging pipes, uneven temperatures and, finally, a complete loss of heat prompted the owner to call the local heating company.
For brothers and NJ McCann & Sons Plumbing & Heating co-owners Christopher and Andrew McCann, the job was more than a boiler swap. It was an opportunity to restore order to a system that had long since lost its balance—and to do so in the community where they grew up.
No-Heat Call
The circa 1898 building is typical of many in western Nassau County. Steam heat was used extensively in the early 20th century, and the bulk of those systems are still in use today. Like many of those systems, this one had endured decades of modifications. Some were helpful, others were not.
“We were called in for a no-heat situation,” said Chris McCann.
“We found a 40-year-old boiler in the basement. We pulled the burner tubes and found water sitting in the burner tray.”
The cracked sections were severe enough that the boiler had to be red-tagged and shut down immediately; however, the failure didn’t occur in isolation.
“Tenants had been complaining about banging and knocking for a long time,” McCann explained.
“Temperature control was all over the place. Some apartments were overheating while others weren’t getting enough heat.”
Those symptoms pointed to something more systemic than a failed heat exchanger.
Piping Problems
A closer look at the near-boiler piping confirmed it: The existing system featured two boiler risers feeding a 4″ header, along with three system takeoffs. On paper, that might sound adequate. In practice, it was anything but.
“The system risers were installed between the boiler risers, which is incorrect,” McCann said.
“Plus, one of the takeoffs came off the run of a tee instead of the bull. That alone can cause major issues.”
Improper piping like this contributes to wet steam, which leads to noise, uneven heating and reduced efficiency.
Compounding the issue were deteriorated wet returns riddled with pinholes and leaks, restricting condensate flow and further destabilizing the system.
McCann informed the owner that swapping the boiler wasn’t enough. The whole mechanical room needed to be re-piped.
Sourcing a Solution
“We conducted an EDR (Equivalent Direct Radiation) calculation and landed on 350,000 BTUh,” said McCann.
“We’ve previously used U.S. Boiler Co.’s SteamMax boiler with success, and Gil Meyerowitz Plumbing & Heating Supply had one in stock.”
Meyerowitz delivered it as a knockdown unit and the McCann team assembled it onsite with zero isues.
“We install over 100 steam boilers each year, so a knockdown unit is no issue,” explained McCann.
“We hydrotested the sections after connecting them with push nipples, and everything checked out.”
With the boiler in place, attention turned to correcting the near-boiler piping, which is arguably the most critical aspect of any steam installation. Generating dry steam and eliminating system noise was a priority, so McCann decided to use a drop header.
Using all three supply tappings on the SteamMax, the team installed three 2″ boiler risers, extending roughly 40″ above the boiler’s normal water line before dropping into a 4″ header. From there, three properly configured system takeoffs (one was 2″ and the remaining two were 2.5″) were installed to feed the building’s distribution mains.
The equalizer was reduced to 2″ and tied into a newly constructed Hartford Loop, also piped in 2″ with a close nipple. A king valve was installed on the wet return to simplify future maintenance. In addition to near-boiler piping, the team replaced 110′ of deteriorated wet return piping.
“The returns were in really bad shape,” McCann said.
“It was full of holes and the basement was filled with steam. It felt like a sauna.”
Attention to Detail
Beyond piping, the team addressed venting and controls. All main vents were replaced with Hoffman units, while radiator vents were inspected and replaced as needed using Gorton valves. The control package included a Honeywell pressuretrol, a manual reset pressuretrol for added safety, and a Hydrolevel LWCO paired with a VXT24 automatic feeder.
“The multiple tappings on the SteamMax block give you options, which is helpful during installation,” McCann noted.
The Installation & Operation manual read clearly, so the process was straightforward.
“We fired the boiler and it produced steam very quickly,” he continued.
“It’s also surprisingly quiet. That stands out to me every time I install a SteamMax.”
After startup, the team returned the following day to skim the boiler. The banging noises had stopped. The basement was no longer a sauna and room temperatures were even across the apartments. Tenants noticed quieter operation, faster heat-up times and more consistent comfort.
For the property owner, the result was just as impressive. The building now has a reliable system and a significant reduction in tenant complaints. Energy expenses weren’t tracked, but it’s likely the retrofit yielded a significant reduction in natural gas consumption.
Steam Specialists
For the McCann brothers, steam heat is more than a niche system. It’s a specialty rooted in years of hands-on experience.
“We started learning about steam when we were kids,” reminisced McCann.
“I was always interested in how it works, and the physics behind it.”
After taking over the family business in 2016, the brothers faced significant challenges, including workforce losses and financial strain. They were in their early 20s when their father passed away. Both employees and customers doubted their ability to fill his shoes.
“We almost went under, but we stuck with it,” McCann admitted.
Today, the company serves much of Nassau County and parts of Queens, maintaining a strong presence in the community where they grew up. If you ask Chris or Andrew what defines their business, the answer comes quickly.
“We’re proud to be the local plumbers,” McCann said.
“That means something to us. We do our best to be kind, fair and honest. We leave the job cleaner than we found it.”
It’s a straightforward philosophy, but one that resonates in an industry where reputation is everything. ICM
