Laars Endurance Condensate Leaking Excessively

zohebsait

I have been having this issue with condensate leak with no end in sight, despite seeking assistance of a Pro.

A couple of weeks back I noticed condensate dripping and leaking out of the Laars Boiler. The leak was from the bottom of the concentric vent, so the pro I called, put some red sealant at the bottom. It didn't seem to help, so he suggested replacing the concentric vent pipe and tee. That didn't help either, it still leaks out the bottom of the vent pipe.

At this point I am lost, but my theory is that there is suddenly excessive amount of condensate being formed, it's filling up the inner sleeve of the vertical drain tee, and it's dripping back the vent pipe and leaking out the bottom.

Question is, could it be the excessive condensate formed? If so, after 8 years of operation, why would it do that?

I am no professional, just a home owner who has being research and cracking my head over this! Help, please?!

zohebsait

Attaching some pictures to add context

Tom_133

This is not a condensing boiler, you really shouldn't see any condensate, or at least not enough to make you nervous. If you are having excessive condensate you may be having issues with your anti condensing valve that is the silver box marked Honeywell top right on the inside of the boiler. Make sure the silver tab on top of it is moving back and forth when the boiler starts and stops or goes from heat to hot water.

What kind of load are you heating, radiant, baseboard, radiators,etc? Have you done any work outside on the building that may have changed the way rainwater would run by your vent? I just want to make sure the fluid you are seeing isn't rainwater or some other fluid coming in the end of the vent. Typically you pull fresh air from outside on these boilers, is that not the case on yours? I don't see the tee on top of the unit.

zohebsait

Thanks Tom.

Will have the anti-condensing valve checked.

There is just domestic hot water and baseboard heating as far as load is concerned. I have been having this issue since we started using the baseboard heat, so there might be something there.

Also, for sure, the fluid isn't rainwater, it is usually luke warm water that comes out after the burner flame has turned off and been off a bit, so definitely condensate. It's not a ton, but probably 8-12oz easily every hour or so.

The fresh air seems to be pulled in by the blower fan inside from the open space on top of the boiler, as far as I understand.

Any other ideas?

kcopp

is the flue/ vent pitched outward to the exterior?

zohebsait

It goes up two floor or so, but I found out that there's a good amount of pipe exposed to the cold on the roof.

Could it be that the exposed pipe on the roof needs to be wrapped with insulation?

kcopp

Yes it could. I have only seen this type of appliance vented up about 24" then directly outside....never up through a roof.
You did not mention this in your post...How much pipe are we talking here?

Tom_133

Ok, I think I see a few problems, first it's strange I don't see the fresh air source. Second, I would rather see a condensate tee so that all the condensate or rainwater would drop out before going into the boiler. What I see instead looks like a horizontal style condensate drain but I could be wrong, it may have an internal lip that collects fluid.

Zohebsait, you are correct about this though, you want to remedy the problem these boilers don't like the fluid coming back on them, they are finicky enough when the venting is right.

zohebsait

Tom - This model's manual says it can intake fresh air from the surroundings, doesn't neccessarily need it piped in.

Can anyone recommend the kind of insulation to use on the metal 3" flue pipe thats exposed to the cold?

Thanks,
Zoheb

zohebsait

Also @Tom , it is a vertical tee with a sleeve inside to collect the condensate.

zohebsait

@kcopp - its close to 40ft of vertical pipe

lchmb

believe you are allowed 100ft with 4" pipe and 50ft with 3" (make sure to add all measurements) for this unit...90's 45's.. Check the anti condensing valve..sounds like it may not be working...

zohebsait

@lchmb the manual says 50 ft..

any ideas on the the kind of insulation to use on the outdoor metal pipe thats exposed to the cold?

lchmb

none..not required. Condensing inside would be from the unit not operating properly. Have your tech call Laars while onsite. They take a bit to get through to but can walk him through troubleshooting the unit..

Tom_133

Sorry, zohebsait I didn't see your second post. Yes if you are pulling air from the home it's a category IV vent system and it works. As I said in my first post make sure the anti condensing valve is switching back and forth and works. I have had scenarios where that valve seems to work visually but doesn't.

kcopp

I would use pressed fiberglass pipe insulation on the vent where it's exposed to cold. I would also get a proper vent tee at the base on the chimney/ stack