Best Of
Re: Am I blind? Not seeing the gas shut-off valve.
Why do you want to shut the gas off to the boiler?
Ironman
Re: Am I blind? Not seeing the gas shut-off valve.
So it's the Master Gas Shut-off that I use? The manual isn't referring to another valve that looks like the drawing? I can't believe they're publishing manuals with inaccurate information regarding safety precautions and procedures.
sjh
Re: HVAC in New Construction in 2024
They install whatever is cheapest, since they don't have to live with the results.
Re: Carlin Hot water heater keeps going on and off.
I'm my own tech lol. It was fully replaced with a brand new unit in 2021
Shuga
Re: Steam Boiler Pressure & Some Of My Adventures
Your boiler should take in only around 5 gallons of fresh water per heating season. Your 10 year old boiler should take in just about 40-50 gallons. Since it has taken up around 150, you can be sure that the life of the boiler was cut down by around 3x times. Typical boiler lasts around 30 years, so at 10 years, you are at the end of the boiler's life. I know you don't want to hear it as boiler replacement is ridiculously expensive. (~$5k for a new boiler and ~5-10k for labor).
That said, because the steam can work on miniscule amount of pressure, even badly corroded boiler can produce heat.
In a perfect world you would replace your dying boiler and get someone knowledgeable to install it correctly BUT the world isn't perfect, thus you need to come up with temporary solutions:
- Replace the pressuretrol and set it so it cuts out power to the boiler at 2psi
- Right now your radiator vents act as "main vents". Add main vents to the ends of the pipe so the radiators heat up much quicker and your boiler doesn't have to work "overtime." And yes, without real main vents, your boiler pressure will raise quickly.
Your boiler is "dead" so further fresh water take up shouldn't be your main concern. That said, if you do the above, with everything you have done, you might get a few seasons out of this boiler.
A Makeshift Radiator
Can a makeshift radiator be made out of black pipe nipples and tees, capped off, and a radiator air valve? Will it function and work?
Re: Anyone try this ? Rectorseal 68712 Quart 8-Way Boiler Water Treatment
Before joining the steamaster club, I was having to wash the sightglass every other week, as it had rust stains.—NBC
Re: 60 PPM outside of "snowman" boiler
gA
Gas companies are #1 on my CO ignorance list. A fart could make his meter read 60ppm. The test must be done in the flue ahead o dilution air. Any other test is useless.
Re: Wirsbo Manifold Pin Valves
A new manifold with low current draw actuators will save him $$.
Since California is running out of electricity, and all
hot_rod
Re: Steam heating maintainance
Very good info, steamhead, thanks. I'm guessing since they replaced the boiler 6 years ago they (hopefully) replaced the old LWCO as well with a probe-type unit. That's something I can check out - if she does buy this place. In the meantime, I ordered the We Got Steam Heat book Rod recommended and got my copy of Lost Art of Steam Heat out of the attic.
