Best Of
Re: top floors not getting that much heat
Your vents on each radiator may need attention, you may also have the pressure set too high
There are other causes. Can you post photos of your boiler in the basement so we can see the connecting pipes from the floor to the ceiling?
Re: Flaring tools
I think, if I remember right the clutch releases before the double flare is complete. I could be misremembering though.

Re: Return/Condensate pump questions
Check valve between the pump and boiler is leaking back. I believe you supposed to have 2 of them 1 at the pump and another at the boiler.
Re: Return/Condensate pump questions
Unless there are emitters in the basement, returns below the boiler are easier to pipe directly.

Re: Flaring tools
Any of them will do double flare if you have the buttons to make the initial fold

Re: oversized water heater
250 if a very large tank, depending on the burner size it may be an ASME tank, worth some $$$ depending on the age
How is it vented.

Re: Burner technicians -what’s going on in this industry?
I agree with @GroundUp to an extent. There are plenty of losers in the union and out of the union. I ran a job with 8-10 pipe fitters and 4 sheet metal guys and one of the pipefitters feel asleep outside in the blazing sun. Probably had too much liquid lunch so I fired him on the spot. And he had just come back to work after being laid off for two years…….I wonder why!!!!!! And he complained no one would hire him!!! Guess riding the bench didn't teach him anything. And he complained that "black pipe is too hard" & "why wern't we using copper" It was a steam job!! We were an out of town contractor so the other local tried to stick us with him.
But you learn who the good ones are and there were a lot of them at least in my local. I learned a lot from them when I was young. Most of them did a good job and a decent days work.
Re: Burner technicians -what’s going on in this industry?
I was referring to HVAC. Installing boilers. Piping, soldering, wiring, controls, setup. Furnaces and air handlers. Knocking tin, testing SP, piping exhaust flue, running drains, leveling. The AV stuff IDK.

Re: oversized water heater
Suggestion…Replace the water heater with a properly sized water heater that will accommodate the needs of the occupants.
