New boiler installed. When to clean the boiler/skimming?

jerryjjj

First I would like to thank the folks who helped me on my first post. Finally I got my new Peerless gas fired boiler installed. In the contract, I requested the contract to perform skimming for my boiler.

However, after they installed the boiler, they did not do skimming. They told me it is not necessary to do skimming now. They put some neutrilizer in the gauge glass which is green. They asked me to observe the gauge glass. It is normal if the color of the water turns brown, all I need to do is to drain the water twice every week. No skimming is needed. If the color turns black, they will come back for skimming.

Does it sound right? I read the user manual on Peerless' website and I found that "The boiler must be cleaned to remove any accumulation of oil, grease, sludge, or other impurities that may be in the system. These substances can cause foaming and surging of the boiler water, producing an unstable water line and water carryover to the system."

When I got home today, I smell oil but the installer told me it will go away eventually. Another question is that I heard cold skimming is effective but on the user manual it says use very hot water.

Please advise.

Thank you!!!

KC_Jones

Without question skim it. They don't want to skim it because it's so labor intensive. Skimming is the only sure way to get those oils out. If it's in your contract they should do it, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Obviously they don't want to with what they told you. It is a DIY friendly project if you are up to it, but they must have the skim port installed for you to do it. At a minimum I would make sure they do this and don't let them tell you it doesn't need skimmed...it does need skimmed and it will need it several times. You should do it now and then give it a few weeks and watch the water "bounce" when it gets worse it needs another skimming. I have done about 12 hours worth on mine to get it stable, but it varies with amount of pipe replaced and size of boiler...many factors.

Captain Who

There's no way that any water treatment they put in is going to make all those oils just go away. It might help to minimize the bounce but that's about all. It's good that you insisted on the skim port with ball valve and that the contract calls for skimming. They must have ****** when you came up with all that lol .

Captain Who

PS: Wait a minute.......they said to drain the water twice every week?? You mean drain a little out right and add fresh? Don't completely drain it by any means. They must be desperate beyond all reason to avoid fulfilling their contractual obligation to skim it. Having said that, it is proper to operate the boiler for a week or so before skimming it.

jerryjjj

Captain Who said:

PS: Wait a minute.......they said to drain the water twice every week?? You mean drain a little out right and add fresh? Don't completely drain it by any means. They must be desperate beyond all reason to avoid fulfilling their contractual obligation to skim it. Having said that, it is proper to operate the boiler for a week or so before skimming it.

Yes, Captain Who. You left me a message regarding skimming before I signed the contract so I insisted them to add the skimming part on our contract. On the user manual, it says clean the boiler no later than one week after the initial start up. They asked me to drain a small bucket of water and add fresh.

KC_Jones, yes, they installed a skim port for us. But I would like them to come to do the work, at least once, so we learn how to do it if needed in future.

nicholas bonham-carter

skimming is so important for the removal of the oils, which can prevent the proper production of steam, and must be done.
have you paid the installer all the money?--NBC

Eric_32

Gerry Gill posted a video on youtube on how to skim a boiler, it's rather easy besides the time it takes. Get the boiler hot but not making steam then start. You skim at such a slow rate, the boiler will remain hot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ydzKcBKOVc&list=UU7gDszI9COdVbfvJP2YdY5Q

Bug512

jerryjjj said:

Captain Who said:

PS: Wait a minute.......they said to drain the water twice every week?? You mean drain a little out right and add fresh? Don't completely drain it by any means. They must be desperate beyond all reason to avoid fulfilling their contractual obligation to skim it. Having said that, it is proper to operate the boiler for a week or so before skimming it.

Yes, Captain Who. You left me a message regarding skimming before I signed the contract so I insisted them to add the skimming part on our contract. On the user manual, it says clean the boiler no later than one week after the initial start up. They asked me to drain a small bucket of water and add fresh.

KC_Jones, yes, they installed a skim port for us. But I would like them to come to do the work, at least once, so we learn how to do it if needed in future.

Who is to say they will do it correctly since it look like that had no interest in doing it in the first place?

Since the port is there do it yourself, again, again and again.

Hap_Hazzard

Boiler performance can be hampered by two types of impurities: ones that float to the top and ones that settle to the bottom. Draining can flush out the stuff that settles to the bottom but does nothing for the ones that float to the top. Even if you drain it completely, the oily contaminants tend to coat the inner surfaces as the water recedes and float back to the top when it's refilled. Skimming is the only way to remove them.

Of the two types of impurities, sediment becomes a bigger concern as the boiler gets older. Surface contaminants are more of a concern in new boilers and in systems that have been re-piped.

RobG

Can you post some pictures of the install?