Skim Tap on a Boiler

Dave Braunegg

I need to skim my oil-fired, steam boiler (Peerless). It was installed 5-10 years ago. (My poor memory can't remember the exact number.) The installer did not put in a skim tap at the time. I've got two questions:

1. How hard will it be to remove the plug in the skim tapping now?

2. Can I leave a nipple in the skim tap to make it easier the next time I need to skim? (I'm thinking about a valve and plug, or just plug, at the end of the nipple.) Would the 6" of pipe sticking out of the boiler above the water line cause me problems?

Thanks,
Dave

BRIANJ

Skim Port

Just another home owner here. I don't know how hard it will be to remove the factory plug but it is definitely worth the effort. I have the same set-up on my Peerless except I used a cap and not a plug on the nipple. It's been two years and leaving it in has not caused any problems. It a lot easier to skim each year knowing the access is always there. I would recommend a cold skim first when the boiler is cold, as Dan H. suggested, so that any remaining oil that is floating will come right out with the first water.

Peerless recommends using sodium carbonate (super washing soda from your local supermarket) in the first cleaning of the boiler, if it's been 5-10 years since installation I would recommend doing this if you have very dirty water surging water in the sight glass. With the skim port open and the boiler on the water will start to come out of the skim port as it gets hotter. Don't let the boiler get to a point of creating steam as it will come gushing out of the skim port. Turn off the boiler when it gets to hot and repeat after it cools down a bit. Two or three times should do the trick. Be sure to flush out the boiler completely at least twice and check the PH level of the water.

The whole process will take a couple of hours so doing on a warm day when you won't be need any heat. God luck.