Need Help

Rich Kontny_3

Well said spicoli,amen

Rich K.

Pat_32

I have an oil burner with steam boiler. I was having a problem with the radiators not heating up. Oil buner kicks on but no heat out of any of the radiators. Not being familiar with steam heat I inadvertently opened the main water line and water began coming out of the air vents on a couple of radiators so I shut it down and closed the water. Now the burner won't kick on at all. Thanks for your help.

Timco

Drain your boiler until the water sits in the middle of your sight glass first....

Tim

Pat_32

After I drain it what do I do? Thanks

Brad White_200

Mop the floor?

KIDDING...

Once you have leveled the waterline, make sure it is clear before you fire the boiler and watch how it performs.

I suspect that by flooding the system though, you may have washed back to the boiler some rust and crud that would normally stay in the piping.

Dirty boiler water will "bounce" during steam-making as steam tries to break that surface which looks like the Titanic just sank near it. The steam cannot break free cleanly from the uneven surface you see. This can induce water to be carried with the steam, known as "Wet Steam".

If you have a dirty boiler, you can drain it and refill it, but ideally, skimming is necessary. This is the process of opening a plug usually available for this purpose at or above the waterline (and usually fitted with a ball valve 1.5" or so in size). The boiler is heated but below the boiling point to release what could not be drained. Water is very gradually added so that the surface impurities are "skimmed" gently away. This may take some time.

Going forward, your radiator and main air vents may well have to be replaced.

There is a lot to cover so stay tuned but do not despair. It is all procedural.

Timco

Is this a 1 or 2 pipe system? After draining, will burner kick on? Still no steam to rads?

Pat_32

Thanks for all the help. I will not be able to get to the system until Mon. I am trying to get as much info now because once I get there mon I will have no internet access. The system is a single pipe. Do you guys think I should completely drain it?

Pat_32

The boiler isn't very old and the water I drained from it was fairly clean.

Rich Kontny_3

Flooded your system

Pat,

You need to get a professional in as you have flooded your steam system with water. All sorts of good things can happen with steam traps, pressure controls etc. when this happens.

Good time of year for a seasonal tune up anyway and why create more problems then you already have?

Timco

Get the water back in the sight glass & fire it. If the sight glass water bounces as it makes steam, you have to skim & clean as Brad described. If no bounce, watch pressure. What pressure does it cycle off at? Heat at ANY rads? If no, start checking vents. Some soak in vinegar, but I like to just replace. Your pressure should be at 1# or even less....if the burner fires but no steam, is the burner firing at the correct rate? If so, you are certainly making steam, but none is getting to the rads. With low pressure, pull a vent. Do not let steam burn you. Rad heating now? If burner will not fire, check LWCO probe for build-up.

Tim

Pat_32

Thanks for all your help guys. I'm not sure what this exactly means "is the burner firing at the correct rate?" When skimming how do i know boiler is below boiling point? From memory there were to red plastic plugs on the side of the boiler are these the ones I use for skimming? As far as new vents what do you guys reccomend I use? Is Home depot sufficient or junk?

Timco

It takes a pro to check the firing rate, but you should be able to tell if it is firing enough to make steam, as it has before. The boiler should fore just to below the point at which it begins to make steam, or read and pressure on the gauge. Basically, get it warm. The plug you want is the one closest to or just below your water line in the sight glass. You would be best off draining a bit low, and installing a nipple & ball valve so you can skim into a bucket & see when the water looks better. Use Hoffman or Gorton vents, and begin by replacing what you have, and adjust from there. Keep your presuretrol set to 1# to start with.

Tim

MIke_Jonas

Best advice so far

The best advice so far was from Rich, the first guy to respond.

And Dan wonders why no one signs up under "Find A Professional"

Timco

And your point? Can you please elaborate? I agree it is always better to hire a pro, but some things can be done at the HO level...

MIke_Jonas

My point

My point is, here is a homeowner who is being given step by step instructions on how to check out and fire up a steamer that he flooded. What do you think will happen if he fouls this up and hurts something and/or himself? He will own you, probably Dan, too. Or at least make your lives miserable for a long time. Do you think the internet will shield you from liability?

This isn't the only thread where this happens. There are homeowners who post on here that are given wiring diagrams, piping schematics, pump sizes, just about anything they ask to do it themselves is provided. Someday, this will come back to haunt those that provide this information.

Why should I, as a radiant only contractor, spend money to be listed on "Find A Pro"? I understand the homeowner who wants to do things himself is never going to call me anyway. I am one of a countless number of radiant only contractors in the Chicagoland area. Not one is listed on Find A Pro. I have asked others about this for years. Homeowners receiving step by step advice from people all over the country, wihtout ever seeing the installation, is the main reason no one bothers.

I take great pride in my skills and ability to provide my customers with comfort and safety. It is your option to post and help these people, and I respect your right to do so. It is my opinion that what I do has value, not only monetary, but safety. I think this is one of those times where a pro should have been recommended from the start, which is what Rich did, and I applaud him for that.

Timco

well, if we do not talk price, and should not give help or advise other than find a professional, then what should Dan call this website? Heating Referral??? I believe more HO's should know how to skim a boiler or check their pressure & temp. They OWN in, you know, and live with it every day. Have you ever changed your own brakes? Would you have a case against the guy at checker or auto zone if they told you how to remove your tire and you did not follow directions? I would not explain how to hookup trac pipe or adjust gas pressure, but skimming and getting heat on?? There are plenty of fish in the sea without requiring this guy to pay for simple things he should have been shown by the installer if he wanted to know. I think Dan sells his steam books to HOs as well as pros....

Tim