Steam Boiler Sight Glass Dirt

cubicacres

We noticed a week or so after adding a few main vents the sight glass water looked pretty brown as shown in the photo. Could this be the dirt making its way back from the install in November finally, or the foot or so of pipe we replaced by adding a vent antler with several T's for the main venting work last week?

Is skimming and/or using the water wand method reccomended to clean out the boiler water? Could we wait a few weeks and end the heating season before using the wand method on a cold boiler if that's a better long-term solution for skimming rather than filling & draining/skimming water during the heating season with the boiler running? We're still a little unsure about the water feed valves since we haven't skimmed before.

ChrisJ

Looks like oil gook to me.
Is it banging, or surging a lot? If not it can wait a little bit.

I'd skim 5 gallons out hot and then wash it out with hot water using the wand followed by another 5 or 10 gallon skim.

While the wand is in it, try to aim it at the gauge glass ports, I can usually wash my gauge glass out with it while I'm at it. I also aim it in the direction of the LWCO probe.


Remember, each section has walls so you need to put the wand in the skimmer and go one section at a time, slowly, starting with the one deepest in from your drain. Wash top first from all angles, and slowly work your way down. Once no more dirty water comes out, move to the next section and repeat. After all are clean, I usually go back to where I started to make sure nothing else comes out. While doing this stop occasionally and let all of the water drain out, don't let it build up too much.