Gas-fired water boiler issues for baseboard heat

I bought my townhouse in Brooklyn two years ago and it came with two Williamson GWA 070 boilers that provide heat for the entire house via baseboard heaters. I think the boilers were installed in 2012.

During the first winter, the boilers worked for the first couple of weeks and then they started giving no heat. We called a plumber and he fixed them the first time, but the issue kept happening (they alternate on when they break down..). We had to call three different plumbers to come fix them that winter, for a total of 5-6 different times until the summer arrived. The second winter comes and it’s the same saga all over again, plus one very expensive fix that included re-installing flue pipes and expanding the chimney.

The most constant issue was the pilot going off. And so we had to replace the thermocouple many many times.. The plumbers also replaced the gas valves on both once. I also know that one plumber disabled the reset buttons as he thought they were the issue… So many hands, many opinions and solutions, and the problem still persists. One of the boilers p ilots JUST went off as of today marking the first issue of the season!

At this point, we are very desperate, frustrated, and dreading to spend thousands of dollars more this winter on unreliable heat. It’s weird that both boilers keep failing.. which makes me think it might be time to replace them? All the plumbers say its too soon since boilers last for 20+ years. Not sure if they just want me to keep calling back. Worth mentioning that whoever renovated the house years ago did a very questionable job too.. so it might be part of a larger issue.

Thoughts?

mimi

in Heating and Cooling 5 months ago

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Guest User | 5 months ago

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either the pilot flame needs to be adjusted or the wiring in the safety chain needs to be tested for resistance… i serviced a couple of williamsons in bedsty a few years ago that had some carbonised wiring that was not allowing the boiler gas valve to open fully… have your plumber test out the wiring harness…Id offer to look at it but have zero availablity for the next week and a half

chris

in Heating and Cooling 5 months ago

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I do not know if you were just writing short or did not have the information, but one thing I always tell people about Boilers and Heating Systems is to keep receipts of work!
There are only so much work that can be done on a unit or a System and sometimes, especially when you switch services, you end up paying twice for the same work.
Why anyone would replace a thermocouple multiple times, for instance, is extremely odd. Like MP said: everytime a Boiler shuts down, there is a reason. Finding out that reason is the key.

chris

in Heating and Cooling 5 months ago

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I do not know if you were just writing short or did not have the information, but one thing I always tell people about Boilers and Heating Systems is to keep receipts of work!
There are only so much work that can be done on a unit or a System and sometimes, especially when you switch services, you end up paying twice for the same work.
Why anyone would replace a thermocouple multiple times, for instance, is extremely odd. Like MP said: everytime a Boiler shuts down, there is a reason. Finding out that reason is the key.

mimi | 5 months ago

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Yep, thats what I thought too and I told the other plumbers after him about the reset button being disabled, including a very highly regarded plumbing company in the area, they seemed unbothered by it!

Anyways, I think I will ask our newly trusted plumber about the intermittent ignition module and see what he says. Sounds like a good idea, and another expensive fix. I know I will be paying closet to 1K including labor for each of the boilers to get this done… oh well.

Master Plvmber | 5 months ago

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First of all, the guy who “disabled the reset buttons” needs to be reported and arrested for criminal negligence. You can’t just disable the buttons. What he did was disable the Code mandated safety device that prevents people from breathing in carbon monoxide in their sleep. But, you know. Whatever.

Mechanically speaking… There’s a reason your pilot lights keep going out but the truth is some field conditions just don’t lend themselves to standing pilot systems very well. Why don’t you just convert the boilers to an intermittent (spark) ignition system? It’s about $200 in parts and 1-2 hours of labor for a qualified boiler guy.