Back in the summer of 2018, the good old days before COVID19, C.C. Controlled Combustion Co. Inc. was hired for a boiler replacement at the culinary icon that is Peter Luger’s Steakhouse in Brooklyn, NY. Here are some of the details of this project.
C.C. Controlled Combustion Co. Inc. had never performed any boiler compliance or boiler maintenance work for Peter Luger’s Steakhouse before the summer of 2018. The restaurant was using an oil-fired cast iron sectional boiler to heat the dining areas. Their cast-iron sectional boiler, discontinued by Weil Mclain, had suffered from frequent breakdowns in the last winter.
C.C. Controlled Combustion Co. Inc. was hired to do a boiler replacement in Brooklyn which was to remove the Weil Mclain cast-iron sectional boiler, existing fresh air ductwork, and decommission their buried fuel oil storage tank. The new boiler selected was a fire tube scotch marine boiler by Easco with a dual fuel Webster Burner with Siemens ventless gas valves. C.C. Controlled Combustion Co. Inc. worked with National Grid (Nat Grid) to bring a new natural gas service and natural gas meter for the new boiler. Natural Gas emissions condense at lower temperatures than oil emissions. This condensate is very acidic and quickly destroys classic brick and mortar chimneys. A stainless steel liner was installed inside the existing chimney as protection from Natural Gas emissions. Normally this would be an easy and very straightforward job for C.C. Controlled Combustion Co. Inc.; however, performing this work in Peter Luger Steakhouse presented several unique challenges.
Scheduling work in a world-famous restaurant open seven days a week from 10 AM to 11 PM with minimum or no interruption to customers or staff. Our primary access to the boiler room was through a small sidewalk entrance that would become blocked by excited and hungry customers lining up outside Peter Luger Steakhouse. Removing the old boiler and delivering the new one had to be timed just right. Usually, when installing a field-erected boiler, the work is performed onsite. To minimize interruptions and to ensure the new boiler would be ready for, before the winter, a lot of the equipment was prefabricated in pieces small enough to fit through the door. Inspections with the NYC Department of Buildings (DOB) and National Grid were scheduled between midnight and 6 AM.
C.C. Controlled Combustion Co. Inc. was hired in June of 2018 and fired the new boiler in the first week of October 2018, right in time for the heating season. The feedback from the owner Amy Rubenstein was much appreciated.
“On behalf of all our staff and ourselves, we cannot thank you enough for all of the help and expertise given to us by Chris and C.C. Controlled Combustion Co. Inc. in our most difficult time. We are now back up and running with heat in the dining rooms and exhaust for our boilers. How complicated a supposedly simple boiler replacement can be. Thank you again”
Amy Rubenstein with Peter Lugar Steak House