Video: Anatomy of a Boiler Part 3
In the third segment of our boiler video series, John Cataneo of Gateway Plumbing walks us through flushing and cleaning the water in a boiler. Tune in tomorrow for the final installment in which we look at how to reignite the pilot light. Video: Anatomy of a Boiler Part 1 [Brownstoner] Video: Anatomy of a…
In the third segment of our boiler video series, John Cataneo of Gateway Plumbing walks us through flushing and cleaning the water in a boiler. Tune in tomorrow for the final installment in which we look at how to reignite the pilot light.
Video: Anatomy of a Boiler Part 1 [Brownstoner]
Video: Anatomy of a Boiler Part 2 [Brownstoner]
thanks 7:22
you read our minds-
all of these are in the works
Questions for when you get around to hot water system.
In what order should you bleed the air from the radiators? It’s a small three story.
Does the circulation pump need to be lubricated and with what kind of oil?
Can you crack the boiler if you add cold water to a hot boiler? Should I hook up the refill to my hot water line?
Backflow preventers?
My gas boiler is 25 years old, how long do they usually last? The one I have is very low tech. It still has a manual pilot light with a thermocoupling(Sp?) What are some of the features I should be looking for when I shop for a new boiler? Safety? Fuel efficiency? What does your crystal ball say Master Plumber?
can you speak to the other types of low water cut offs that are out there? I just looked at my boiler and it doesn’t have a probe like the one in the video. What it has is a big triangular shaped thing with a spout at the bottom and a level that can be used to drain water off. I was under the impression that there is some sort of float in there that detects when the water gets low. Does this type of cut off need the same type of maint. to make sure it continues to function properly?
Excellent idea and execution, guys – Thanks for doing such a great job presenting information like this to the masses…
You are imparting incredible knowledge to the typical Brooklyn homeowner, and an educated homeowner who can intelligently discuss mechanical systems with a prospective tradesperson is much less likely to be ripped off and definitely more likely to get better and more extensive service for the money.
One of the best things I’ve ever seen on Brownstoner…
P.S. Would love to see other, similarly produced series involving other trades, like electrical (especially whole house rewiring jobs, panel upgrades, new circuit installations), waterproofing and french drain installations in basements, new HVAC routing, and perhaps plastering/drywall techniques that run the gamut from, say, the simple repair of a doorknob-size hole in old lath & plaster to advanced plaster restoration.
A steam boiler actually *boils* the water and sends steam out to your radiators.
A hot water system heats the water to a temperature somewhat less than it takes to boil and moves it around your system.
A furnace warms air which is sent into the living space through ducts.
Maybe I’m just dense, but can you tell me the difference between a hot water boiler and a steam boiler. I take oil, but I was under the impression that hot water and steam was the same. I put water in the boiler, the furnace turns it into steam….
What am I missing?
Oh, AWESOME PIECE by the way Mr. B!
Your cast iron hot water boiler does not need to be flushed out.
In fact, the longer the old water stays in it, the better.
New water corrodes the boiler, piping and radiators and introduces fresh pockets of air into the system.
We’ll get to that soon.
Hot, hot, hot, I tell you. Hot.
does a hot water boiler (as opposed to a steam boiler) need to be flushed also? I have an old hot water boiler in my house, and we were told the system didn’t need to be flushed out.