Burnham Furnace - Steam heat

cj_bruno

I noticed that i had a significant amount of exhaust coming out of my chimney flue compared to my neighbors and I'm wondering if this is normal in the winter months, or if could be something else.

Other thing I noticed is that the water is automatically filling a bit more often. It levels out a few times a day.

Fred

Most likely indicates that at least one of the cast iron section has rusted through, above the water line, sending steam up the chimney. Time to take the jacket off of the boiler or at least the top cover and see what's there.

You can also shut the boiler down, let it cool a little and over-fill it and see if water runs out onto the floor.

JohnNY

Shut off the boiler.
Fill the boiler up to the top of the glass gauge and then add some more water until it is probably filled to the top.
Open the relief the valve to check to see if the water is there yet.
If water leaks out from under the jacket, you’ve got a leaking boiler.

JUGHNE

Where are you located?
Check above on the main site for "Find a contractor".

STEAM DOCTOR

In all likelihood , there is a leak in the upper part of the boiler. Steam will leak out the top and go up the chimney

B_Sloane

Copper does have many times the expansion of Steel pipe
but it is unlikely that in the very short length of the Header there was significant stress on the Sections
There is a substantial amount of clamping force exerted by the tie bolts
I would expect the copper joint to fail long before a section moved enough to leak
someone advised letting the boiler cool, and over filling it
that was good advice
you should remove all of the Jacket that is practical, some will be trapped by piping, or controls