Out with the old steam boiler

Felt Manor was built in 1850, a time when heating a home, let alone a VERY large home, was a challenge. There are seven original fireplaces in Felt Manor, which would have been used as a source of heat in the 19th century.

In addition to wood-burning stoves and fireplaces, Felt Manor had a steam boiler. The technology of heating a home with steam was a marvel in the mid-19th century. The steam engine powered locomotives, and steam heat was installed in well-to-do homes.

This state-of-the-art solution in the mid-19th century was no longer heating optimally or efficiently, so we decided to replace the whole system with several different heating and cooling systems.

Before we could remove the old steam boiler (from the 1980s) and the radiators, our HVAC contractor started by installing mini-split heat pumps in all of the guest rooms on the second floor. Mini-splits are incredibly efficient at providing both heat and air conditioning, and will allow our guests to control the temperatures in their rooms.

All of the old components that were removed were either salvaged or scrapped. Our team removed an astounding 2.5 tons from the house!

It’s a big project, expected to take until the end of the year.