Boiler overflowing

Jettster

One of the issues with my system is I need to manually fill the boiler (when the system runs well, this is about once every 4-6 weeks). I'll have to snap some pics and post them. I believe there is an autofill valve, but maybe it needs replacement? If I leave the water on, water fills the boiler and also the main pipe fills with water and it spits out of the main vent. I learned this the first week we used the steam system 7 years ago.



We are planning on renting out our house, and I want the prospective tenants to not have to go into the basement and manually fill the boiler. Thoughts? I'll snap a couple of photos to see if that helps diagnose the issue.



Thanks for everything!!

Hap_Hazzard

Don't buy trouble.

Automatic water feeders are safety devices, not convenience devices. They are not designed to maintain the water level. That is the job of the homeowner or building super.



Allowing the water level to drop repeatedly to the point at which the LWCO activates the water feeder will dramatically shorten the life of the boiler.



Water feeder valves are not intended to open and close routinely, and the seats are not protected from contaminants in the water supply. Water feeders are notorious for having their valves fail to close, causing boiler flooding and extensive water damage to buildings, furniture and other property. The manufacturers disclaim responsibility for damages resulting from these failures and insurance companies often won't cover it.



Guess who your tenants are going to sue when their property gets soaked and they have to find someplace to live while their rental house is being repaired? Think they'll overlook it because you were so nice not to make them go down to the basement to top up the boiler? Maybe so.

Jettster

Refill

I never allow it to get so low the LWCO activates. I'm a novice to steam heat, and was curious if there was a less hands on approach to what I have been doing. It's no problem, whoever rents the place will just have to keep an eye on it and fill as needed, if they want to have heat. Thanks for the feedback.

Hap_Hazzard

Sorry if I was too harsh

I'm just trying to help you avoid trouble. Personally, I think water feeders are a good thing, and I have one on my boiler, but it's only there in case my system develops a leak while I'm away. It has never been activated except for testing.



You should give your tenants instructions on how to check the boiler once a week. If you have a float-type LWCO they should blow it down every week while the boiler is steaming, then they should refill the boiler to the water line and let it continue boiling. If you have a water feeder, make sure it has a meter, and ask your tenants to notify you if the reading changes.



You could also leave them a copy of We Got Steam Heat and tell them about this site.

Jettster

Thanks

It looks like there is a valve there now, but it has never worked the way I thought it was supposed to. I was just curious. I trust myself to keep an eye on it and make sure it's full and operating to the best of my abilities, I was looking for a simple solution for any possible tenants as I don't want to have to replace the boiler due to them not keeping it filled. That, coupled with them filling the entire system with water would be a disaster.



I am thinking of requiring that any tenants get renters insurance to cover their stuff, if that's legal.

nicholas bonham-carter

Over-filling

In some systems, when the pressure gets too high, due to a misadjusted pressuretrol, the water in the boiler can be forced out, up into the returns, or is slow coming back from the radiators. This may activate the water-feeder, and cause overfilling of the system. Observe your boiler for correct pressure in this aspect. An accurate 0-3 psi gauge is useful for this.--NBC