Best Of

why wouldn't the new independence also require the chimney be repaired?

Unfortunately, Burnham Independence doesn't have the best track record. I would fill the boiler with water until you feel the supply header get cold as @Ironman mentioned.

The boiler does not have to be cold to do this, but I would not do it with the boiler red hot. You could have a leak above the water line. Any leak should be self evident.

You could post your location and look for a steam contractor in "find a contractor" on this site"

When totaling up your EDR for a potential replacement just add up the EDR of the radiation. Do not add anything for piping or pick up. Compare the EDR to the boiler nameplate in square feet of steam. The pickup factor is already added in.

Good that the 63 is still available.

I will just say @archibald tuttle that I did run several tests with accurate gauges at the boiler and at the far end of the main and I never saw any measurable difference in pressure between them at any point in the heating cycle.

If we think about it, it makes sense. Pressure differential "travels" or equalizes at something like the speed of sound (which is in fact what sound is). There just isn't enough friction in a home system at home pressures to ever see any kind of pressure drop.

Others will comment but iMHO if the water level is steady (not bouncing over an inch or so) when steaming and the water is only tea colored then I would leave it for now.

If it was me I would boil it out with TSP or washing soda in the spring. 1lb/every 50 gallons of boiler water.

You might check the PH with some PH strips.

@ethicalpaul

 but I have a strong distrust of Burnham just due to the fact that they are STILL offering the IMO flawed Independence line which again, IMO, should have been re-engineered or cancelled years and years ago given how fast it seems to rust out.

Me too.

There was a post here just a few days ago about an independence that failed installed in 2013 I think the op said.

They (all the mfgs) design a boiler that then go with that design for 20, 30, 40 years or more.

The HB Smith 28 the first one I saw installed was 1977 and they still make them today. A few changes but the sections are interchangeable.

Once they go with a design they ride it to the bitter end . If its bad they will still sell it and will only drop it if it will not sell.

The Weil McLain Gold oil fired is basically the same boiler they have made since the at least the mid 80s. Even though it is rubber gaskets it seems to hold up pretty well.

Utica/Dunkirk have been around for years as well. Any boiler can fail if neglected but they seem to hold up as well as anything.

Peerless (or the Boyertown Foundry whoever that is) has been making the boiler sections for Smith & Peerless ever since Smith closed their foundry in Westfield which must be 35? years ago.

Don't know what is going on with Peerless.

I do thorough steam heat evaluations for NYC mid-rise and multi-family buildings all season long. Nearly all of them have the same complaints you list here. I'm not cheap, but neither is throwing money at the inexplicably uninformed people who are frequently hired to work on these old systems and never get it right.