worst cleaning EVER

heatboy_2

..... get delayed on your way home?

burnerman_2

WORST CLEANING ever

YESTERDAY I WAS SENT ON A CLEANING WAS TOLD IT WAS SMOKING UP THE BASEMENT WELL I WONDER WHY WHEN I REMOVED THE CLEANOUTS ON THE BOILER THERE WAS ROCK HARD CRUST I CHISELED FOR OVER AN HOUR JUST ON 2 GOT IT AS GOOD AS I COULD FOR A WINTER CLEANING THERE WAS OVER 4 INCES OF BUILD UP IN THE TOP AREA OIL FILTER YECH NEGLECT NO ONE SHOULD EVER LET THIER FURNACE GO THIS LONG BETWEEN CLEANINGS TOLD THEM TO HAVE IT REDONE SOON AFTER IT RAN A BIT HOPIN THE HEAT MAY LOOSEN THE REST ANY ONE ELSE EVER HAVE THIS HAPPEN TO THEM AND WHAT DID YOU DO ?? ROYBOY

Paul Fredricks_3

Rumor has it that a can of Coke poured over the crust will loosen it. Never tried it myself. Either that of a little water carefully on a hot boiler can get things loosened up.

Rocky_3

Elbow grease

Unfortunately, I think good old fashioned scrubbing with a soot saw, then several good stiff metal boiler brushes, perhaps a chunk of allthread, then some more boiler brushes, followed by a hefty bill to the owner will persuade them to not let it get this way again.

I HATE those jobs.
Rocky

Unknown

Had a few like that too,

took Rocky`s approach, oil boiler was very clean when I left, but they burn NG now(another installer), never got another call,,oh well you can`t win them all.

I HATED-IT too!

Dave

Rocky_3

Jeffey!

I was sweatin' it! Had another good snowstorm late Saturday night and woke up Sunday to another 8 or 10 inches. Logan was shut down. I thought another day bumming around Boston was gonna be in order, but they opened two runways around 2:00 pm and I actually got out only an hour late. Then, unfortunately, I was three hours late getting out of Chicago to Anchorage, so I missed my flight from Anchorage to Fairbanks. I slept on the floor of Anchorage airport Sunday night and caught the 6:00am flight into Fairbanks, only to be greeted by -35 temps. Needless to say I had to get out of "screwin' around tourist mode" back into "authentic Fairbanks furnace man mode" real quick. Temps are going to anywhere from -35 to -40 tonight and tomorrow night before we "warm up" to minus 25 for Friday. Really had a good time getting to meet all you guys and confab with you. Maybe see you all at Wetstock or HCT this coming year. If you ever get the hankering to fish Alaska, let me know. I might know somebody who can put you on the fish

Warm regards from chilly Fairbanks,
Rocky

John_108

Had one like that last year. A friend of mine bought this house for his son to live in and had a company out to service it. He said they were there for about 30 minutes. He was leary and called me. Went out and looked at the boiler and out of curosity set up my combustion analyzer. Turned on the boiler and within 2 minutes had a reading over 7000 ppm co outside of the boiler. Opened up the boiler and this is what I found. I told him he was lucky that he would not let them turn on the heat until I looked at the boiler. His son and his three buddies who live there would have been dead.

Of note: The owner bought the house from an estate of an elderly woman who died suddenly. Go figure.

Rocky_3

Unbelievable

How can someone take money for "servicing" like that? Borders on the crimianl.
Rocky

Unknown

Heck that`s nothin,

like I`ve seen here, "complete oil cleanings" are still $79.95,,,how do we compete against crap like that?
Be a long old time paying for an analyzer not to mention sootmaster bags if I charged this way!

Dave

Weezbo

refuse to clean it.

see how many other people JUMP at the opportunity.

When the owner says well, i can't get anyone to clean it there is the clear and ever present idea that they basically think you are dummer'na box of rocks:)

you have to be really careful cleaning the pin type with slakers and all thread as you may cause more problems than you already had to begin with
I cleaned a boiler for a guy took better part of two days...

anyone else would have told him Clean it first Then i will address the problems..

Jim_47

Annual Service

Without discussing service rates, I usually charge a flat rate to clean a heating system. Not the Low rate as defined here but about 1.5x my hourly rate. I also include the Nozzle, pump screen and filter. Complete vacuum of unit, stack, and chimney base as well as a set up with a Combustion Analyzer. I am loosing money on a lot of houses but I get the account. Now, I no longer clean slow speed burners flat rate, and the old coal conversions are also hourly T & M. If I skip lunch and work a little late I can get 4 stops in a day. Thats only charging for a total of 6 hours for the day! Been at this for 14 seasons and I make a good living income in the 6-7 month heating season. (6-7 months work provides a years income)
The major fuel and service companies in my area (major meaning over 20 trucks fuel and service combined) all do the 30 minute cleanings. Its funny to see those techs all have time to visit local eateries during the day for lunch. Its horrible following them. Some of these homeowners units are so bad that I have told them before starting that I cannot possibly FIX the years of neglect without charging T&M and spending 1/2 the day there. My biz has grown atleast 40 accounts per year I loose less than 2-3 accounts per year. My annual work year has grown into the spring and summer. What use to be a SEPT-Mar year is now an AUGUST-late March full time. I started with nothing and have developed a nice business. I am never grumpy and my customers always point this out as well. Always telling me of the grumpy guy from the oil company.
Good work good product fair price = happy customers and happy ME!

Saggs

It never ceases to amaze me what people will do for a buck. The clowns that came in and said they cleaned that new yorker boiler should be brought up on charges. Most homeownwers have no idea what goes on in their basement and it's up to us to make sure things are safe and sound. My philosophy on it is I treat the equipment as if it were in my own family's basement. It helps you sleep better at night.

Unknown

Yea,,

I can remember once pounding 1/2" iron pipe lengthwise down a pretty big boiler trying to open the channels up, yech is right...

Al Roethlisberger

So, what is recommended procedure for gas boiler annual cleaning


Well, on the topic of cleaning...

I don't really have any local folks available that I can rely upon here in Sanford, NC. So I am stuck in DIY land.

I have a gas fired Carrier(Dunkirk PWB-8D) boiler.

What would be the annual cleaning/inspection prescribed process and checklist for a boiler of this type?

Thanks
Al

burnerman_2

great comments guys

i do work for an oil co. but i want to do a good job my boss allows us 2 hours per cleanin we charge $84.00 plus parts anything over an hour and a half is x-tra (drive time) included like others said some r in and out in 30 min. well when i hear this i dread cleaning it ince a guy asked y i was taking his smokepipe off oter guy never did went to truck 4 a bucket he left quick when he saw his chimney was almost plugged pride in a job is alive. most r on here on the wall to learn and to share that sets us a part thanks royboy

Unknown

Hey royboy,

you`ve got to have some stories,, let`s hear-em.

Dave

burnerman_2

stories which one

as a burner tech you get into a lot os different situations and you must always keep a smile the time i rescued a live bird out of a boiler or the time another more experienced tech fixed a problem two days later furnace was off again customer was hot i got there i am not payin twice well i pulled the drawer assemly out found a dead bat across the points he asked how did that get there mm i am not sure but i know don didn't put it there. word of advice to rookies never put down a co-workers it may cause a problem later always make it better for the next guy it may be you royboy