Leaking Steam boiler

jim lockard

I was asked to quote a replacment steam boiler that has a leak in it. W/M eg-55 I looked at the boiler and told the customer I would get back with them, the boiler is about 15 years old and is in a bad location as far as changing the whole boiler. My question is this? would you suggest flooding the boiler finding the leak and if limited to one section or in between a section consider replacing the section as to changing out the complete boiler or would you just replace the boiler? going to be a monster to get in the basement. Thanks J.Lockard

Long Beach Ed

What's your time worth?

What if you rip the section out, replace it, put the jacket back on only to find out all those crummy rubber pipe nipples have turned to rock and have joined their leaky friend? Would the customer pay for that day's work AND a new boiler?

Just my opinion. Be careful. Usually when I try to save myself some work and my customer some money we both get hurt and they think I'm a crook.

Of course it depends on the size and value of the thing, your costs and the trouble involved with replacement.

Long Beach Ed

Al Letellier_9

leaker

At 15 years, the boiler is out of warranty and the owner would have to buy a new one anyway. Repairing or replacing the boiler wouldn't involve that much difference in labor, would it? I haven't seen the install, so I'm only guessing. How about considering a more efficient boiler. We've replaced a few EGs with SGO's and a Riello power gas burner. Great efficiency and flexibility. Here in Maine we have a lot of oil and the SGO give the opportunity to switch fuels if necessary. As to those "crummy rubber nipples" I'll take them any day over push nipples. We had to add a section to an SGO a few years ago (owner removed pipe insulation) and even with header repipe, I did the job alone in 3 hours.....try that with steel push nipples !!!

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Guy_6

Leak

At 15 years old, I would agree that you may open up a can of worms by attempting a repair job, and unless you're planning on doing a lot of fishing......
I think that it would probably be easier in the long run to break up the old boiler and replace it with new, perhaps a physically smaller unit with the same output. Unfortunately where it is steam, you are limited in choices, and therefore the physical dimensions probably aren't going to be dramitacally (sp?) different.

Bob W._3

Curious as to whether you could take the Weil apart, examine it, and replace all gasketing and any bad section (in warmer weather of course). My Weil was rotted out to the point where all the sections were bad, but it was about 30 yrs. old.

Anthony Menafro

Weil McClain leaker

If you can get new sections in the house, you can get all new sections,jacket,flue breaching,etc. in and do the best job possible. As was brought up,you can get a boiler with a better efficiency rating and probably save money in doing so. Good luck.

Anthony Menafro