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boiler damper problem

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gonzo891
gonzo891 Member Posts: 1
in THE MAIN WALL
i have a dunkirk boiler that i have done alot of work to for a "friend" of the family. the problem i have is that on the exghust pipe there was a downdraft damper and it was sticking causing the pressure switch to fail so i took it out and everything worked tip top so they called me today saying its a vital part of the system and it HAS to be there is this true or can i tell these people to shove it.

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  • MIke_Jonas
    MIke_Jonas Member Posts: 209
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    Even though we've never met...

    I think we know of each other.



    I'm the guy your customers refer to when they say "This other guy was soooo much more expensive than you."



    You're the guy my potential customers refer to as "I know this guy who is soooo much cheaper than you."



    Do yourself, your customers/friends/friends-of-friends a favor and click on "Find a Professional" at the top of the page.



    YWIA

    (You're welcome in advance)
  • Timco
    Timco Member Posts: 3,040
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    warranty?

    Removing that will certainly kill the warranty. The vent damper keeps heat in and drafts out and was put there for a reason. Fixing the problem is always better than making a shortcut. I would have done the same but just to get heat through the weekend until it can be fixed right.



    Tim
    Just a guy running some pipes.
  • Al Letellier_21
    Al Letellier_21 Member Posts: 402
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    damper on dunkirk

    Let me introduce you to a new cuss word that you will live to regret ever learning some day......LIABILITY.......altering any appliance or boiler outside the scope of its original design voids the UL and AGA ratings and leaves you holding the bag for the liability if it fails or worse yet, someone gets hurt or ill or dead.

    Do the job right by replacing the faulty part or leave it alone. You just don't seem to realize what you did. That damper and pressure switch are there for a reason and you don't have the right to change the design of that unit. Sorry to be so blunt but I do alot of insurance inspection work and this is a prime example of pending subrogation against you should something go wrong.

    Please understand that you have a responsibility to do the right thing....every time you take a tool out of your tool box........
  • Dennis
    Dennis Member Posts: 101
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    damper

    The damper is not a down draft damper, it is a vent damper. It is used to stop the flow of air through the boiler, this stops the air from traveling through the boiler and up the chimney wasting heat.



    If you leave this out not only will you cause their fuel bill to go up, but you will be contributing to GLOBAL WARMING!



    You could leave the damper off, in the old days 5 years ago a vent damper was an option.



    The only issue you might have in removing the damper would be concerning how you dealt with the wires connected to it. There are four wires, two are connected to both sides of the transformer, the other two make up a switch that closes on the gas valve or ignition module, if it has electronic ignition. If you jump out the switch the system will fire up very nicely, but you will be sending current directly to the gas valve, and removing the thermostat from the equation and that is not good.



    I am assuming because this is a Dunkirk boiler and these boilers have an integral draft diverter.
    Just do it, right.
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