Has anyone had problems with Dunkirk Boilers?

SWEI

from the post above

New thread would be a good idea here...

nicholas bonham-carter

cracked block

i am assuming that your system is hot water since you posted on the wall, and not on strictly steam.

definitely post some pictures in a new thread, so we can all offer our opinion as to how this may have happened. pictures of the piping into and out of the boiler will be important in pleading your case with the manufacturer. if you can compare these pictures with the original installation instructions, so much the better.

it is usually the result of thermal shock, or dry-firing that cast iron boilers crack. these two situations are less likely to happen with a boiler which is full of water all the time, as opposed to a steam boiler whose water-line is about three quarters of the internal height of the section, and may be unstable for a variety of reasons, out of control of the boiler manufacturer.--nbc

dricker

Q90 Popping

I have had my Q90 for 12 years, during this time the most I have ever done is change out the ignitor element and cleaned out the drain on the bottom of the boiler. It sounds like I should be real thankful for the installer after reading all these posts.



In the last couple of years, especially during the winter and temperatures on the outside ranging from below zero to in the teens, the boiler has started popping. Sometimes one larger pop and other times many series of pops. At first this happened only randomly and not very often. Now it seems to happen all the time. It seems like this only during the startup or the initial igniting of the gas. Even though this popping occurs the Q90 continues to perform heating my home and water.



Any suggestions on what I might look at Also I contacted the guy who installed it. He called Dunkirk. the rep there suggested that i update the burner etc. Something like a 200 dollar update/upgrade.

Tim McElwain

It is often the case

when the outdoor temperature goes down that the air being drawn from outside being much colder, therefore heavier it will affect the ignition of the gas air mix, as long as it ignites it should be okay. Sometimes cleaning the burner and chamber will help or replacing the burner as the factory suggested.

SuzyQPA2

Don't purchase a Dunkirk boiler

We bought a Dunkirk boiler from Sears (and don't buy anything like that from Sears) in 2008. Find out in 2013 that it's defective. Sears doesn't want to live up to the Warranty so we had our contractor contact the Manufacturer - their idea of living up to the Warranty is we buy a new one and they *might* credit us after we spend thousands shipping the old one back to them....

Exceedingly crappy service and meanwhile my elderly parents are freezing day in/day out....I'm sure it's going to shorten their lifespan but Dunkirk and Sears could care less.

I should have bought a woodstove, and i should have bought Weill Mclean - when i bought the house the Weill Mclean unit was 24 years old....still going.

nicholas bonham-carter

no bad boilers

what problems were you having with that boiler? i am sure that sears is going to find the cheapest installer to put the boiler in, and not the most expert.

remember that the installation is more important than the boiler.--nbc