IronPoint Plumbing

09/24/2026

IronPoint Insight

The Importance Of Near Boiler Piping For Steam Systems.

Steam boilers have undergone significant design changes over the years in the name of improving fuel efficiency. The boilers have lower water content and smaller piping and passages to maximize heat transfer. While this improved efficiency, it greatly reduced the ability for the boiler to produce dry steam with the size reduction of the steam chest of the boiler block. Dry steam is critical to steam system operation as it contains the most latent heat and prevents noisy operation and premature system component failure.

To compensate for the smaller steam chest and water carryover from increased steam velocities in the smaller piping, the near boiler piping was engineered to further separate water from the steam after it left the boiler. The near boiler piping has effectively become part of the boiler, replacing the steam chest and allowing for the creation of dry steam. Boiler manufacturers provide diagrams with their boilers that specify piping configuration, minimum sizing, and minimum heights. If these design specifications are not met water can be carried out of the boiler and into the system leading to water hammer, component damage/failure, uneven heating, and the boiler short cycling on low water.

Near boiler piping is more than simply a connection between the boiler and the heating system. It is a critical part of what allows a modern steam boiler to produce and deliver dry steam efficiently and reliably.

09/17/2026

IronPoint Insight

Shower controls don't always have to be located with the shower outlets.

The location of shower valves and outlets can often be customized based on how the plumbing is routed behind the walls. While the controls and outlets are commonly grouped together, separating them can improve both comfort and functionality in certain situations.

Long or unusually shaped showers, for example, can benefit from having the controls near the entrance while keeping the shower heads and body sprays in the main shower area. This allows the water to be turned on and brought up to temperature before stepping into the shower rather than having to stand beneath cold water to reach the controls.

In this installation, the framing presented an additional challenge. By piping the controls and outlets independently behind the wall, we were able to locate each component where it made the most sense for both the space and the people using it.

Good plumbing design isn't just about getting water where it needs to go. It's also about considering how the finished space will actually be used.

09/10/2026

IronPoint Insight

The benefits of preventive maintenance

Annual maintenance on your heating equipment is beneficial in more ways than one. It can help maintain efficiency, extend equipment life, and identify potential issues before they become major problems.

Although it may not feel like it with temperatures still reaching into the 80s, colder weather is just around the corner. Having your heating system serviced before the beginning of heating season provides an opportunity to evaluate the operation of system components and safety controls and identify potential problems.

A minor problem discovered now may be relatively simple to correct. That same problem discovered during the dead of winter could result in an emergency service call, a loss of heat, or even frozen pipes if it cannot be addressed quickly enough.

Preventive maintenance cannot guarantee that equipment won't fail, but it can reduce the likelihood of unexpected failures and provide a better understanding of your heating system's condition before the demands of another heating season begin. During the coldest months of the year, heating equipment can operate for hours each day, making winter one of the worst times to discover a major problem.

Take the time now to have your system evaluated before the cold weather arrives.

09/03/2026

IronPoint Insight

Considerations for basement bathroom plumbing

When adding a basement bathroom, the location and depth of the home's existing drain should be considered during the design phase.

If the main drain is below the basement floor and accessible by gravity, Massachusetts code requires gravity drainage. This requires opening the concrete floor, and the depth of the existing drain can limit bathroom placement because the new piping must maintain proper pitch. Drain depth can sometimes be determined through cleanouts, with a drain camera and locator, or by opening a test hole.

When the main drain exits the basement above the floor, gravity drainage is not possible and a pump system can be used. The system pictured uses a sewage ejector basin below the floor. The bathroom drains into the basin until a float activates the pump and lifts the waste to the existing drain.

Although this system requires excavation, it allows conventional fixtures and considerable freedom in bathroom layout. Above-floor systems require less excavation but can limit fixture selection and placement. Showers may also need to be elevated, making designs such as curbless or accessible showers impractical.

Proper planning helps identify these limitations before the bathroom is designed.

08/26/2026

IronPoint Insight

Sometimes the best path isn't through the house.

Campanelli style ranches can present unique challenges when adding or modifying plumbing. Because these homes are built on a concrete slab without a basement, accessing the existing drainage system can require opening large portions of the finished floor.

For this project, the existing garage was being converted into living space with a new bathroom. Massachusetts plumbing code requires gravity drainage when an appropriate gravity connection is available. Reaching the home's existing drain from inside would have required cutting through the slab and disturbing finished areas throughout much of the house.

Instead, we went outside.

The new bathroom drain was routed through the garage foundation and around the exterior of the home, where it connected directly to the existing main drain. This provided the required gravity drainage without disturbing the interior of the occupied home.

The exterior route required careful consideration of pipe sizing, pitch, cleanouts, and foundation penetrations, but allowed the homeowners to continue living in their home with minimal disruption throughout the project.

Older homes don't always provide an obvious path for new plumbing. Understanding the construction, code requirements, and available options can often reveal a better solution.

08/20/2026

IronPoint Insight

So many vents, so little space.

Every plumbing fixture trap needs access to the vent system and fresh air. This allows air to move through the drainage system as water is discharged, helping to balance pressure and maintain proper flow. Just as importantly, proper venting helps prevent the loss of the water seal within the fixture trap. That water seal creates a barrier between the sewer system and the living space, preventing sewer gases and insects from entering the home.

This kitchen remodel presented a significant venting challenge due to the existing framing, structural components, cabinet design, and locations of the new sinks.

Two of the sinks, including the island sink, could not be vented using a traditional vertical vent because of their locations and the surrounding framing. Both required the bow vent configurations shown here. We also had a traditionally vented sink on an exterior wall, along with an existing vent from fixtures in the basement that needed to be relocated.

Ultimately, all of these vents needed to come together in a relatively small section of wall. From there, we were able to route the combined vent through a soffit created to hide a structural beam and connect it to the home's existing vent system.

Careful coordination with the contractor and homeowner allowed us to determine the best routing before the walls and cabinets were installed. This provided the necessary venting while avoiding structural modifications and conflicts with the finished cabinetry.

Sometimes the most challenging part of a plumbing installation isn't getting water to a fixture or getting waste away from it. It's finding a path for everything else the plumbing system needs to operate properly.

08/13/2026

IronPoint Insight

Sometimes, a larger pipe solves more than just a capacity problem.

This homeowner had a failed cesspool in the front of the house serving the kitchen sink and laundry. Because the home already had a septic system in the back, the goal was to abandon the cesspool and connect those fixtures to the septic system instead.

The challenge was distance. Since the kitchen sink and laundry needed to connect before reaching the septic system, a minimum 3 inch drain was required. At the required ¼ inch per foot slope, however, the new drain would have risen above the finished floor before reaching the laundry room.

By increasing the drain size to 4 inches, the plumbing code allows the minimum slope to be reduced to ⅛ inch per foot. That seemingly small change made all the difference, allowing the new drain to remain below the finished floor while still maintaining proper drainage.

With the new 4 inch drain in place, we connected the kitchen sink and laundry beneath the laundry sink and successfully abandoned the failed cesspool.

Every project presents unique challenges. Careful planning and a thorough understanding of the plumbing system often make it possible to find solutions that minimize disruption while maintaining proper function and code compliance.

08/05/2026

IronPoint Insight

Here is an example of an older three-handle shower valve being converted to a modern single-handle pressure-balanced valve.

Because three-handle shower valves are no longer code compliant in Massachusetts, repair parts for many older valves have become increasingly difficult to find. Modern single-handle pressure-balanced valves also provide a superior level of comfort and safety. They automatically balance the hot and cold water to maintain a more consistent outlet temperature and include an adjustable maximum temperature limit to help reduce the risk of accidental scalding.

To minimize disruption to the existing bathroom, we installed a Symmons pressure-balanced shower valve equipped with a remodel plate designed specifically for this type of conversion. This allowed the new valve to be installed through an enlarged opening in the existing tile rather than requiring the entire shower wall to be demolished and retiled.

While virtually any three-handle shower valve can be converted using this method, not every replacement valve offers trim options designed to cover the enlarged opening required for the conversion. Choosing a valve with the appropriate remodel trim can save homeowners considerable time and expense while preserving the existing tile and providing the comfort and safety of a modern pressure-balanced shower valve.

07/22/2026

IronPoint Insight

When installing a standby generator, it's important to consider the increased demand it places on the home's natural gas system.

In this instance, after calculating the home's new total gas demand, it became clear that the existing gas service and meter could no longer safely support all of the connected appliances. A new gas service was required.

The existing gas service entered the property beneath the driveway, meaning the driveway would have needed to be excavated to remove the old service and install the new one. Because the homeowner wanted to preserve the driveway in its original condition, we worked closely with the gas utility to identify an alternate location for the new gas service. This allowed the service to be upgraded while minimizing disruption to the property.

Once the new service was in place, we installed a new, properly sized gas piping system to provide an adequate supply of gas to both the standby generator and the home's existing gas appliances. Proper gas system sizing helps ensure each appliance receives the fuel it needs to operate safely under peak demand, reducing the risk of poor combustion, premature equipment failure, and unsafe operating conditions.

Every installation presents its own challenges. A successful project requires balancing the homeowner's goals, utility requirements, code compliance, and safety to arrive at the best overall solution.

07/04/2026