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January 21, 2008
Reposting boiler and heating information
This is an extremely busy time for my company and we are taking lots of calls from first time homeowners who haven’t a clue about their heating systems.
Please consider this before calling for service, it may save both of us some time and money:
You have a steam system if there is a tube of water connected to the side or front of the boiler. You may also notice that your radiators sometimes make a hissing noise.
That tube of water should be about two-thirds full when the boiler is off and just warm to the touch. If it isn’t, add water slowly using the manual (non-electric, hand operated) valve while watching the water rise in the tube. DO NOT leave the valve on.
The boiler fills the radiators with steam when the flame is on. You can not bleed the radiators in this system. They bleed themselves.
Your boiler may also have a pressure gauge that almost always reads zero. This is normal in a steam heating system. Don’t let it drive you crazy.
If the room doesn’t warm up but the radiators are hot to the touch- the boiler is working. You do not have an emergency. It is simply too much for your system to maintain a high indoor temperature below a certain outdoor temperature. Don’t panic. There’s a solution to every problem.
You have a hot water, or hydronic, heating system if you have a pump and/or gauge that reads pressure and temperature all in one.
Yours is a very adaptable system. If you feel like the system isn’t working, go to the boiler and listen. The pump will run if the thermostat is calling for heat, even if the boiler isn’t operable.
If the pump isn’t running, check the one or two on/off switches for the boiler (one at the top of the cellar stairs?) and the fuse or circuit breaker.
If they’re all on, check your thermostat for low settings, dead batteries and programming.
Many new boilers have safety shut off devices that activate in the presence of a failing chimney. In many cases, these work LONG before your carbon monoxide alarm gets the chance.
If you suspect this may be the problem, call a professional.
John Cataneo LMP
A.k.a. Master Plvmber
www.GatewayPlumbing.com
Comments
What happened to your video's? Where can I find them?
Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 12:34 PM
"You may also notice that your radiators sometimes make a hissing noise."
Thanks for your comments always. You didn't mention in your troubleshooting tips solution or indication of issue with the above or did I miss it.
Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 2:23 PM
sorry - the hissing noise was the indication that one has a steam heat system. got it.
Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 2:27 PM
Thank you as always :)
Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 4:18 PM
You state
"You have a steam system if there is a tube of water connected to the side or front of the boiler. You may also notice that your radiators sometimes make a hissing noise."
Hey MasterPlvmber:
I like the understatement in your second sentence :-)
May be helpful if you refer to that tube as a 'glass tube containing water'. We won't confuse them by calling it a 'gauge glass', lol
Denton
Posted by: denton at January 21, 2008 5:38 PM
Master Plumber.
We have steam heating and we are not sure whether we should call a plumber. The problem is that the tank refills automatically very frequently (sometimes every hour). We looked around the house for a place where steam could be leaking but could not find one. Do you think the fact that the tank needs a refill so often is a problem? Do you think this is costing us a lot of money? (heating bill wise)
Thank you so much for your insight!
Posted by: hollander at January 21, 2008 5:39 PM
If your boiler is taking in fresh water very often (once in two weeks is about normal) then it is losing it somewhere.
I'm sorry to say that refilling every hour means you have a serious problem.
If you don't see water on a floor or around an air vent, then chances are there is a return pipe under the cellar floor that is leaking into the ground or the boiler is cracked and steam is passing through the chimney.
Neither is a good thing and you should address it as ASAP.
Fresh water is corrosive to a boiler. So if the boiler isn't cracked already, and the leak is in fact in the return piping, then fixing it soon can save your boiler.
If the boiler is cracked you'll have to replace it.
There are some cases where a boiler can be welded, but not in a typical Brooklyn residential building.
...and yes, this problem is having a very negative effect on your fuel bill.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at January 21, 2008 6:03 PM
Thank you for your quick response. I think we need to take some action here. In your view how much does a "diagnostic" aprx cost? Is this something we contact you with?
Thank you again!
Posted by: hollander at January 21, 2008 7:19 PM
MASTER PLUMBER: I appreciate your continuing comments and advice on this forum.
Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 7:24 PM
Master P, I seemed to have a very low water level yesterday. I had water coming out of a valve which i realise is another problem in itself. But this was when the system was operational. I added some more water. Now I'm went down and it appears i might have too much water in the system? It's freezing out and I'm worried about a serious problem from this happening in the next 24 hours.
thanks
Posted by: guest at January 21, 2008 11:19 PM
How do you know you've got too much water in the boiler? Can you see the water level in the glass tube? If so, I'd say you're alright.
Keep in mind that it is very normal for the water level to go down considerably while the system is on. It usually just means the water has turned to steam and is out in the piping and radiators.
It'll come back when it cools and becomes water again. You may have filled the boiler when the water was low only to have too much water when it all came back.
That's why it is recommended not to fill a boiler when it is hot. It is best to wait until it is cool so you've got a better idea of exactly how much water there is.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at January 22, 2008 3:25 AM
Hollander, I'm sorry, it's not a great idea for me to discuss anyone's prices on this forum.
My office would be happy to fill you in on all our details, though.
Thanks for understanding.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at January 22, 2008 9:38 AM
yo John -- is that posted photograph your work? pretty sweet craftmanship!
Posted by: Smokychimp at January 22, 2008 11:13 PM
Thanks! That was a recent boiler replacement done by one of our installation teams.
We feel pretty good about it.
Posted by: Master Plvmber at January 23, 2008 8:36 AM
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