When inexperienced architecture disregards Boiler Room safety ,

Roohollah

Dear Friends ,

As you may have heard about the torrential rain in most of the cities of Iran , we had in Tehran as well in which the heavy rain from the roof lead to the Boiler room well and after got over saturated flew to the boiler room and half way up to its wall water








sank most of the equipment . From last Friday we seriously have got involved with repairing of the damaged supply system pump , gas burner and control box . Both of them have been dismantled for replacing their bearings , Relay , ignition trasnformer ,and mechanical seal .

I have attached couple of photos of this incident and I would like to hear whether such a phenomenon has occurred in your projects ?


Best Wishes ,

Roohollah

Jamie Hall

Flooding is one of those things that one never wants to have happen -- but which does.

You may have -- all things considered -- some difficulty replacing parts, but the general rule in North America is that anything electrical -- controls, motors, switches, many kinds of wire -- which got under water must be replaced.

Larry Weingarten

Hello @Roohollah , Is there anything that can be done to keep water where it should be and prevent a repeat of this flooding?

Yours, Larry

STEVEusaPA

That’s a rough one. I’m guessing such heavy rain like that is extremely rare?

Zman

What could have been improved to prevent this?
Better building drainage? Sump pump?

Be safe, while it is still wet, the risk is electrocution. It can be so hard to assure that the flooded components are OK, error on the side of safety. If the architect disagrees, offer to reinstall the flooded parts at their house.

Intplm.

Shame this happened and wasn't thought of as a possible problem. Hopefully it will only take one time, like this heavy rain to make those decision makers look at things in a better way and build proper drainage, to help prevent this from happening again.
@Roohollah best of luck with this impromptu renovation.
I hope the rain water issue is addressed.

SlamDunk

I can understand...The highest monthly average rainfall in Tehran is 3 inches in all of March. In the US, we can get that much in one or two rain events any time of the year. I imagine, architects design for five hundred year floods. Iran is arid. Why spend money to protect against floods in a desert?

Global warming?

Roohollah

Thank you friends for the inputs and kind considerations towards the issue . Your words of advice is highly appreciated.

Indeed, there is way not to have such situation where it should not be , but the owner and his friend architecture have been the ears to hear what I have told them since the extension of the fourth floor which lead the slope corrugated roof rain water to the void where the boiler room was built beneath it . Before the extension there had not been such situation for 12 years or since the boiler room had been installed . I remember vividly how brotherly I delineated the capacity of the boiler room well in which it could not accommodate rain water of melting snow for days . When it came to make a right decision , the expense of the remedy over turned the decision . Last year, the rain water penetrated to boiler room ceiling and found its way to the Electrical control box and caused burnt out fuses and the burner's electrical segments and this year the above scenario .


Yes, after the incident , we firstly dug an half meter hole near the boiler room "s floor drain to pump the water out of the place and now as the picture shows it is still there for any eventual and unwanted water in case of flooding into boiler room again. This solution for the moment works ,but in case of cut off power , the situation is much more worse than my words could cover it .


If they had made a proper gutter for the roof , the water would have lead to the main well which was so spacious and deep to handle the situation.



Wow, I talked too much . I am so sorry to take your time ,


Once more , thank you all for sharing your thoughts and brotherly advice with me ,



Sincerely,

Roohollah ,

Steamhead

Roohollah said:

When it came to make a right decision , the expense of the remedy over turned the decision . Last year, the rain water penetrated to boiler room ceiling and found its way to the Electrical control box and caused burnt out fuses and the burner's electrical segments and this year the above scenario.

I'm sure the owner has spent a lot more money fixing these things than he would have to install a proper gutter. You can't fix stupid!

Jamie Hall

And don't worry about talking too much or wasting our time! I somehow suspect that you don't have any too many other folks who will listen -- but we will.

Leonard

Here in wet areas people sometimes mount equipment up off the floor. Some cement blocks maybe??

In flood areas whole building is up on ~ 10 ft high concrete support collumns.

Need to keep the place dry. Fix the leak, as far as keeping floor dry....

Here people have automatic sump pump in a barrel below floor level in cellar that water drains into. Has float switch and automatically runs when water rises. Some people in wet areas even have 2nd pump installation as a backup in case 1-st pump fails.

For power failures.......Backup 120VAC generator. Some have automatic transfer switch that starts gen and transfers pump (or whole building) from utility power to gen power when power failure occurs. ( Gen has 12V starter and car bat). RV gens have 12V starters too.

Want to run gen ~ once a month to keep it ready. Ethanol in gasoline gums up engine carburetors of gen if it sits for 1+ months, so propane or nat gas is popular.

Can have 12VDC sump pumps, but would need a very large battery bank for reasonable run times

psb75

Climate change and weather anomalies are coming to all of us.
Amazing to see your efforts against such forces in Iran. You have humbled many of us with your restoration efforts. Peace and success to you friend.

Roohollah

Thank you all numerously for illuminating couple of practical paths to prevent such disastrous phenomenon . In fact, the flood is very serious in southern cities of Iran ,people all around the country head off to those areas for help and support .To best of my recollection , I have seen this kind of situation since 1986.

Once more, it was very kind of you all for taking the time to assist me ,

Sincerely,

Roohollah,