Philly Service Help

trivetman

Hi -

Do any of the regular posters to this board service Jenkintown, PA (just north of Philadelphia).

The find a contractor feature on the site isn’t turning up anyone nearby so I thought it didn’t hurt to ask.

Right now I just need regular maintenance on my steam boiler. Its working ok but I’d like to see if there is anything we can do to quiet the system down as there is a lot of clanging. We might have to wait on doing any real work depending on cost.

neilc

maybe we can help you help yourself,

post some pictures of the boiler,
the pressure gage, and the pressure control, and if the clanging isn't from right there, pictures of where you think the noise comes from.

is pressure below 1 1/2# ?
we love pictures

trivetman

Sure. Would love some help. Some folks on here gave me a lot of information last year. Let's give it another round. Some pics attached. Also - here is a link to the post from last year where I was asking a bunch of different questions (also with more pics!!)

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/163731/wheres-my-steam-traps-and-other-questions#latest

Since that post I added extra venting. The system only runs at 0.25 psi now for most of the cycle. It still doesn't warm up the furthest radiators (3rd floor) all the way. I started trying to use my radiator valves as 'throttles' last year but didn't complete the process. I am hoping that after I get all those adjusted it helps direct the steam up to the third floor.

The problem I really want to solve is the clanging. There's a fair bit of noise through the whole house as the radiators fill with steam. Not predictable where it comes from. Just a 'BANG'....then a few minutes go by...then another 'BANG' from another section of the house. Wakes me up at night. Not fun.

From what I can tell, the steam headers are piped very low - close to the boiler and maybe that has something to do with the noise - getting condensation in the system. I don't know that it's not piped to spec, but guessing that might be the case. No idea how much it might cost to have this redone if it needs it, but that's something I wanted to find out. Definitely not a DIY job for me. If the headers are piped right, not sure what to look at next - or if the problem is even one that can be solved.

trivetman

One more pic of piping above the boiler.

trivetman

Oh...last thing. That pic with the pressure gage is old. I've since added a 0-3 psi gage. My reading of 0.25psi through most of the cycle is from that gage.

nicholas bonham-carter

I see that the takeoff from the boiler has a colliding header. Both of the risers from the boiler are piped towards each other, and then join to go upstairs. This arrangement can throw a lot of water up in the pipes, which can produce water hammer.
I also do not see an equalizer to drain that excess water back into the boiler, so the water must flow along all the piping until it gets to the dry returns.
I will try to find the excellent Peerless boiler monograph on this subject on the subject, and attach it here, later.—NBC
Here it is, and don’t pay attention to the sections on pumped returns, but instead, the piping advice on page 13:

https://www.peerlessboilers.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TwoPipeSteam.pdf

Dave0176

Wow that is some pee shooter piping there, amazing is all ran as long as it did. A boiler that size should have some significant sized piping and header.

trivetman

I think the equalizer is a pipe leading from the header to the return piping - right? There is one. Off the left side there’s a pipe coming off the header towards the back of the boiler which joins the return.

Both those comments tell me i am right in thinking this piping might need to get redone to run noise free. Back to my original question...anyone on this site work in my area (Jenkintown PA) as I can’t seem to find anyone.

Dave0176 - I see u r in Jersey. Ever come across the Delaware?

Anyone want to give me a rough idea of cost of repiping and is it worth doing on a 30 yr old boiler?

nicholas bonham-carter

Go ahead cross the Delaware-everybodies doing it!

https://www.google.com/search?q=washington+crossing+the+delaware&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en-us&client=safari#imgrc=JexH3xUpdlEASM:

A properly done drop header will make it easier to replace this boiler, when its time comes, so I would recipe the present one, for the moment, and you may get 10 more years out of it, or it may fail this winter.
In the event of a winter failure, and it’s subsequent emergency; with new piping, a lot of the hard work has been done, and the replacement can be more like a “cut and slide”.—NBC

trivetman

Well ...looks like nobody wants to cross the Delaware. 😩

I am not wrong in thinking I should not make this into a DIY job, am I? I’m handy enough but have no experience working with iron pipe. Sometimes I find things end up surprisingly easy as long as I get the right tools. Sometimes not.

nicholas bonham-carter

The difficult part for the repiping would be removing the 3x2 inch bushings in the top, in order to go 3 inch all the way to the new header of 3, or 4 inches. Maybe it would not be so bad just to crack the elbows off, and have a transition coupling to 3 inch, and then up to the proper header, and equalizer, with proper takeoffs for each of the mains.
Having a retired pipefitter assisting might help in getting everything inked up, and connected.—NBC

Dave0176

I’d cross it however my schedule is shot for anytime in November.

trivetman

Dave - that is great news for me. There is no rush on this. It can wait until December.

I see your phone number posted. I’ll give it a ring this week.