bryant boiler having water level problems

Mark Hunt

your boiler has developed a crack above the water line. That is the only way water can come out.

This also means that steam is going up the chimney and chimnies were not meant to be steam vents. This will destroy the chimney.

You will need a new boiler.

Mark H

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Dan_42

bryant boiler having water level problems

Hi, I’m still trying figure this boiler out. I have owned the house since 2000. The boiler has never really given me much trouble. I replaced the safety control on the gas main and nothing more. I made sure all the radiators were pitched properly, no hammering. The only odd thing was the water site level was always hard to read, when I would add water it was never straight forward. I would have to add a little and wait for a moment before I would get a true reading. For the first 4 years I never or almost never filled it with water. Now in this cold spell it seems like every other day. Yesterday I must of overfilled the boiler and water came raining out from the bottom I thought the boiler was cracked but once the level was correct the water stopped and the boiler was working fine,... I think.
So here is the question. How does the water come out of the boiler if I overfill it? Is there some kind of valve the will open for water but not steam? Or is my boiler on its way out?
This is a Bryant Gas fired boiler. I believe the boiler is pre WII from Germany I have attached 1 pic I have more.

Dan_43

do you think I can limp though the rest of the winter? the boiler can still build steam, and yes I'm seeing white smoke (steam) coming from the chimney.
dan

clammy

time to replace

If you have a water sideleak and steam is venting into your chimmey you would be best advised to contact a pro perferrable from this site (true steam pro's)or besides replacing yur boiler you may in for some expensive chimmey repairs ,besides the boiler age a newer properly sized and installed steam boiler will in all likehood be much more effecient then your existing boiler.on another note now it still works and you have heat when the leak becomes bigger and your adding more and more water to pervent it from shutting down on low water you could end up being between a rock and a cold place contact apro and have them evaulate your boiler peace and good luck clammy

Jamie Hall

have it fixed

doesn't sound good, and these things never ever get better on their own. No time like now -- it doesn't take a decent pro (check this site!) to change out a boiler, so you won't get that cold!

Dan_42

If I could find the crack do you all think it can be welded?
Also how quickly does the steam mess up the chimney?
Dan

Steamhead (in transit)

It's very difficult and expensive

to weld cast-iron, and you may find the iron is so thin after all these years there's hardly anything to weld to. Not worth it.

Not sure how long it would take to damage the chimney but that's not something you want to find out the hard way.

Have it replaced.

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