Flushing the Boiler

kpc_44

should be flushed out every week to 10 days during the heating season if it has a float type low water water cutoff. If this is not done the LWCO could stick and dry fire the boiler. How much water are you flushing through? 3+ gallons would not be out of the question. Steam is an open system... it will get dirty at times. When you changed out the boiler was it flushed and skimmed?

FJL

Dirty Water

At the start of the heating season, I had my heating contractor come out to clean the boiler, and the water in the water gauge was clear at that was done.

Then, about one month later, I went to flush the boiler, as my contractor said I should do every week or two. The water I flushed was very dirty and did not run clear, although it did get less muddy. Not wanting to run it so long that I'd empty a giant amount of water, I stopped flushing. The water gauge was brown, but I hoped it might settle, as it did after the contractor had come out to clean it.

I went down yesterday (a week later), and the water in the gauge was still brown. So I flushed it again, and could not get it to run clear, although it did get less dirty. Water in the gauge was still muddy.

I don't understand why the water guage would be clear after it was cleaned, and before I flushed it, and stay muddy after I flushed it.

Boiler was installed in Summer of 2007.

Thanks.

Rob Blair

What kind of boiler?

We need some details, steam Hot water? Cast iron. Mod condensing.

I know nothing about steam, but never heard of flushing it every two weeks or years to that matter.

Rob

FJL

Sorry

Gas fired, cast iron, steam boiler for one pipe steam system. Burham Independence model line. Boiler services a four-unit apt bldg.

FJL

By changed out the boiler . . .

do you mean when the new one was installed? I can't say for sure what the contractor did. I do know that he told me that his men had skimmed the boiler after it was installed, and it was skimmed and cleaned again before the heating season. I had noticed the water line jumping around a lot last season, so I had them come back and skim/clean before we started up this season.

As I said, after the contractor skimmed/cleaned, the water gauge showed clear water, and the muddly water showed up after my first attempt to flush.

I suppose 3+ gallons was what I had flushed. I can't say for sure how long I had the valve open to flush, but it was one, two, or three minutes, enough time for the boiler to refill with water while I was flushing. Water gauge showed boiler was less than half full and by the time I was done, it had fill almost to the top of the water gauge.

FJL

Water Clear

Water in the gauge is clear. I guess it just needed time to settle, and I must flush more than once a month.

Mark Custis

Good Things

come to those that persit.