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August 30, 2006
value of cleaning boiler and chimney?
We are seeking advice about annual cleaning of the boiler/chimney for our 5-story/20 unit brownstone. We have a cast-iron peerless boiler with a carlin oil burner.
It seems like the last time we cleaned the chimney was over 10 years ago. Our oil co says cleaning this is not necessary ("there's a sump that the debris drops into") while a chimney company is telling us this absolutely must be done annually.
Additionally, our boiler is very sooty and the water is filthy. Again, our current oil company says it is not an issue, while another recommends cleaning. The first bid we got was for $750, which would be a big hit to our annual budget. Our oil company charges $275 for a "vac" cleaning, but we're not sure how thorough this is. And the price difference is concerning.
Basically, we'd like to be sure the unit is running safely and efficiently without spending a ton of money on service that's nice but not necessary.
We're curious how important cleaning the boiler and/or chimney is, what sort of schedule we should look at, how much improvement we might see in efficiency, and if anyone has any companies to recommend.
thanks in advance!
Comments
you are crazy if you don't clean your boiler chimney. we bought our house a couple of years ago and during the first winter discovered that our chimney was totally blocked (previous owners must have never cleaned it) and the basement filled with sooty exhaust. luckily nothing bad happened ... but clearly very dangerous
i've read you should do it every year ... and after this experience that's my plan.
Posted by: Anonymous at August 31, 2006 1:28 PM
We have a gas furnace anyone know how often the boiler chimney should be cleaned and can you recommend a company to contact please?
Posted by: Anonymous at August 31, 2006 1:42 PM
The boiler/chimney should absolutely be cleaned every year. You'll create a terribly unsafe environment if you don't. I, too, have a cast iron Peerless boiler which I had installed about three years ago to replace a 45-yr old boiler. Even with the old boiler, I had it and the chimney cleaned every year without fail. Do not neglect this, no matter what your oil company says (why would they say that anyway?!?).
Posted by: Anonymous at August 31, 2006 2:56 PM
does anyone have the name of a company that will clean the boiler/chimney and will not charge too much?
thanks
Posted by: Anonymous at August 31, 2006 3:09 PM
Very important. A blocked flue can lead to carbon monoxide back up in your house - which can kill in sufficient concentration. I had the same experience as a poster above. Bought a place in the winter and found, after smelling what I thought was my neighbor's outdoor grill, that they had not cleaned the flue in years. Five or six 5 gallon buckets of soot later the chimney was clean.
Posted by: lp at August 31, 2006 4:19 PM
I'm the original poster - thanks for your feedback! Are there specific cleaning companies you can recommend? And is cleaning the boiler as important as cleaning the chimney?
Posted by: elizabeth at August 31, 2006 5:13 PM
My oil company (Empire State Fuel) takes care of cleaning both the boiler and chimney, and yes, you must clean both. Not doing so is very risky (and could be fatal), so you shouldn't scrimp on this. Do it properly and ASAP.
Posted by: Anonymous at September 1, 2006 10:54 AM
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Posted by: hbtf pcdjeq at October 28, 2006 9:24 PM
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