How religious to be about homeowner instructions?

Jean-David Beyer

I am a homeowner who reads installation and owner manuals.



There are two instructions they recommend that I should follow.



One is to check the air vent valve (a Taco Hy-Vent on my indirect DWH) every month. So I have done it June 1, July 1, and August 1. The first time, I got some air out of it, but since then, just a squirt of water.  Need it be done so frequently?



Another is that I should check the boiler's pressure relief valve every 6 months. That would be easy enough to do, but for the fact that the outlet pipe goes down behind the boiler and I do not want to be dumping water back there. I asked the salesman at the contractor if this could be relocated a bit, say next time they come to service the unit. He said he has never tested the one in his house, because if you test them they leak. I know what would make them leak, but it seems to me that if I test them from new as specified, that should clean the seat of the valve pretty well. And if it still leaks, it should be replaced anyway or it might go through the roof and land in my neighbor's living room.



So do the professionals really do these things at their homes?

EricAune

Can't speak for all

I do.  I think it is important to take a walk through your mechanical room/area each month.  I live in an area where we are operating on well and septic.  I don't get a water/sewer bill each month to tell me I might have a leak.  Exercising valves and checking things like vents and such are very helpful (especially the valves) when repairs are needed.  Simple repairs can be very costly for either the owner or customer when time is added because a valve will not operate.....if you let them sit, given the right conditions, they will either fail or be ineffective.  Simple stuff that can ultimately save money down the road.



Peace

Joe Mattiello

Taco, Hy-vent instruction sheet

The Taco Hy-vent instruction sheet gives specific installation instruction, and a brief synopsis of the operating characteristics.  I did not see anything about manual releasing air once a month.  For your reference, I attached a copy.  

Jean-David Beyer

Taco Hy-Vent...

Taco does not say anything about it. It is in the Weil-McLain "User' Information Manual. They would keep me quite busy if I do them all when they say.



Daily: Check boiler area, check air openings, check pressure/temperature gauge, verify boiler front door is secure.



Monthly: check vent piping, check air piping, check relief valve, check condensate drain system, check automatic air vents.



Periodically: ...



Every 6 months: check boiler piping, operate relief valve.



In the installation manual it says the same things, but also a lot more -- stuff a technician would be able to do, that I would not, or would not wish to.



The boiler is in my garage, so I see it every day. I look at the p/t gauge because I am interested, but after I get used to it, I will probably look less often. I am not sure how I check the relief valve without operating it. I suppose by looking at the end of the drain pipe and make sure nothing is coming out, but I cannot see that because of the way they piped it. I want that changed.

Joe Mattiello

Taco, hy-vent

Guess their being overly cautious forcing you to be more vigilant.  

Paul Fredricks_3

yeah

What you are doing can't hurt. I assume you are loosening the cap on the air vent a little, and then re-tightening it. Most times the caps are left loose to vent as needed. In that case I'd say monthly checking would be visual check only. Depending on the type of vent, it could mean sticking something down inside to make it vent, probably not a good idea.



Operating the relief valve is a good idea. When the salesman said it would leak I think he meant when it hadn't been touched for years, sediment built up and then became lodged under the seat when it operated. Testing it helps to keep it clean and helps to assure that if it needs to vent, it will. Of course, something would have to be done so it doesn't flood the rear of your boiler.



Granted, I'd think you are part of an extremely small minority. I've never heard of anyone following the "letter of the law" as you have. For the most part, an occasional visual inspection is a good thing.

Jean-David Beyer

My Hy-Vent.

My Hy-Vent is supposed to have a little piece inside it to press down on. If I cannot press it down, the vent is probably bad. If there is a very small amount of air, it is OK and I might as well let it out. If I get water, it is OK too.



Unfortunately, the little thingy in there is not there, so I cannot test it the normal way. Instead, I cut off a piece of coat hanger wire, neatened up the end, and use that.



With these vents, you screw down the cap all the way, and then open it one full turn so it can vent. My big air separator has a screw you can use to turn it off, but I cannot imagine why you would want to do that. You turn it off, then open it 1 1/2 turns.