Water hammer noise after new gas boiler installed

Gary B.

Hello, I'm hoping you can help me. We have gas baseboard heat and had a new boiler installed after Hurricaine Sandy. After the install it seems we have loud water hammer noises when the zone valve(s) are either opening or closing. The plumber that installed the boiler is not the plumber working on it now. The current plumber thought is was the zone valves. He changed one: no difference. He changed the other: no difference. He thought the pressure may have been high and changed the gauge. Gauge reads the same. It turns out he read the wrong scale on the gauge at first and thought pressure was high so he also changed the feed/regulator: no difference. The only thing odd is that after he does something it seems ok for a day or so and then the noise comes back and keeps getting louder. Usually loudest on the colder days. Now that we realized he was reading the wrong scale on the gauge we know it's not the pressure. We checked out the expansion tank and all is good with that. I am thinking maybe the piping is screwed up?? Can you look at the photos and share your thoughts on this? It's driving us nuts and I'm afraid the loud noise can also cause damage to the pipes somewhere.

bill_105

Hi Gary

Are you sure the zone valves are pointing in the right direction?

Gary B.

Hi Bill

Thank you for your reply. How can I confirm the direction?

bill_105

On those valves...

The wiring or terminals are on the inlet side on of the valve body. It appears the black circ.(on return)is pulling water from the wrong port of the ZV.

Gary B.

ZV

BIll, I am hoping you may be onto the problem. I assume ZV is Zone Valve? I will check this out and hope you may have nailed the problem. I'll check tonight. Thank you so much!

unclejohn

What size pump?

007 or bigger. It looks bigger.

Gary B.

Another picture that may help?

I believe the pump came with the Weil McClain boiler. I don't know what # it is but here is a photo. Perhaps the photo will help figure if the zone valves are on the wrong way. I believe Bill is correct. The arrow for the valves point up and the bottom of the valves go to a pipe going to the pump on the returns side. So I Bill may have solved the mystery. I would like to confirm this if possible. Guys, I really appreciate the help!

kcopp

99% sure...

they are in backwards.

Gary B.

Yep! It is backwards!

You guys are great! You hit the nail on the head. The valves are backwards and you helped solve the mystery. Worst part is that my plumber couldn't figure this out after working on this at least 5 times. He even put new valves on thinking that was the problem but obviously just put the new ones on the same way as the old ones. Now I have to try and get the original plumber who installed the boiler back to do it right. Wish me luck, he never shows up or returns calls!

Thank you again, you are incredibly helpfu!

bill_105

Hi Gary

BTW- While you're in the fixing stage you may want to get rid of that ell going the expansion tank and fill valve. That port is for air elimanation. All of that pipe has to be full of air. I'll leave it at that. Read the instuctions.Good luck and go Niners!

Unknown

sorry

Sorry to say this, that boiler and near pipings are installed incorrectly... don't needs outside air scoop on this boiler.. your installer and present plumber is not boiler guy. If you can, fins a real hydronic heating company to repipe/repair to get the full benifits from this well made boiler.

Unknown

sorry to say this

Your installer and present plumber is not a boiler guy... boiler improperly installed.. as well those zone valves in insatlled backward as per your problem.. I would find a real hydronic heating company from this site and repipe the boiler.. this boiler do not needs outside airscoop.

Unknown

sorry to say this

Your installer and present plumber is not a boiler guy... boiler improperly installed.. as well those zone valves in insatlled backward as per your problem.. I would find a real hydronic heating company from this site and repipe the boiler.. this boiler do not needs outside airscoop.

Zman

Thanks

RJB,

As soon as I saw that you had posted on this one, I said to myself. I bet this boiler is piped wrong and the owner needs to find a real hydronic heating contractor.

The fact that you posted it 3 times (again) is the icing on the cake.

Thanks, you made my evening

Carl

Gary B.

Decisions

Wow, it certainly is unanimous that the guy who installed my boiler after Hurricaine Sandy did it wrong. Still feeling the pain after that storm a year and 3 months later. Now I'm in a position where I would like to get that plumber back to do the job right, but I question whether he will either show up or do it right. If he does, it doesn't cost me anything. Or, I end up paying someone who hopefully does this right. Can you guys give me an idea on how much it may cost to re-pipe it correctly? By the way, although I'm in Long Island NY I am a 49er fan!

EzzyT

No prices

Prices aren't discussed on this site. I donut that plumber will come back to repipe the boiler for free . And yes just by the pictures that you posted that boiler is piped really bad .

EzzyT

Located?

Where in Long Island are you located?

Pughie1

Indirect

Stupid question - Is that an indirect behind the boiler? It looks buried, is there a way to remove/replace it? I can't quite tell from the pictures.

                  John Pughe

Gary B.

location

I'm in Merrick

Gary B.

water heater

Yes, it is an indirect hot water heater. It can be removed if necessary without removing the boiler but it would be a little bit of an operation.

EzzyT

South side of island of long

I do some work in Long Island and the NYC area but mostly in nj I'd be glady to take a look at what you have going on

Gary B.

Incorrect piping?

Hello again, It appears the original boiler installer is coming back this Friday to look at and I assume repair the backwards zone valves. Although history says he may not show up. I was wondering if I can get some tips on what else apparently is incorrect in the hopes he will address that also. Bill, you mentioned something about an ell by the expansion tank that will trap air. Air in the system has been an ongoing issue with my system and it is a real chore to try and bleed this system. Perhaps that's why? Bill, I am not sure by your descripton exactly what you mean. Would you mind a few more details? Again, if anyone else can tell me what else is wrong it is GREATLY appreciated!

Gary

Gary B.

Incorrect piping

Hello again, It appears the original boiler installer is coming back this Friday to look at and I assume repair the backwards zone valves. Although history says he may not show up. I was wondering if I can get some tips on what else apparently is incorrect in the hopes he will address that also. Bill, you mentioned something about an ell by the expansion tank that will trap air. Air in the system has been an ongoing issue with my system and it is a real chore to try and bleed this system. Perhaps that's why? Bill, I am not sure by your descripton exactly what you mean. Would you mind a few more details? Again, if anyone else can tell me what else is wrong it is GREATLY appreciated!

Gary

RobG

You hit the nail on the head

Zman, you are correct, rjb got it! A good boiler piped wrong (probably by a forced air guy, or a plumber). It can't be piped too badly though, he only posted it three times instead of twelve



To the original poster, please ket us know how this works out.

Rob