Boiler Shortages

AJCimino

Local supply houses (Scranton, Pa) are starting to have inventory gaps especially in steam boilers. And the heating season hasn't started up in earnest. Its been in the sixties here all week.Anyone else finding the same issue?

EdTheHeaterMan

If you pay the truck drivers and other supply chain workers a Covid Stimulus that makes it more profitable to stay away from their regular job, and allows them to make other under the table money while staying unemployed, then you should expect these things to happen.

I am glad that I am retired and don't have to deal with this crap. All I need to worry about is what I need for ME! I get to be the crotchety old fart that bothers the service company by saying "You made me stay home all day waiting for your service tech and he cant even fix the thing" I'm not going to tell them i was going to stay home anyway! LOL

SlamDunk

The painting and glass companies I use at work are experiencing shortages. The glass co. Was told to expect a third price increase for the year in December.

The paint shortage is due to the freeze up in Texas bursting pipes and flooding factories and there was the hurricane flood damage to gulf coast chemical companies- which effects other manufacturing businesses. Then there are the import taxes imposed on steel making it an expensive commodity for manufacturers.

the stimulus ended. And trucking is not very easy or financially rewarding. They probably found other jobs that were financially equitable to trucking with better work conditions. Any hardworking person would change their line of workto provide for family.

The Steam Whisperer

Some of the biggest boiler suppliers in Chicago literally have no boilers at all and most of the rest only have a few that will probably be gone in the next couple weeks. No more are expected to be available until January. We are putting in 3 steamers right now ( got the last few in the sizes needed) and we are only starting to do annual services...I am not sure how many more we will find and not have anything to replace them with.

Jamie Hall

Those of us who are old enough to remember... we've been over this cliff before, with a man named Jimmy Carter at the helm. Took years to really recover.

FStephenMasek

Mr. Hall, I remember well. I graduated from Washington University in St. Louis in December of 1980 (after completing a graduate-level independent study project) and there were no jobs. The only interviews I got were junk, such as the seller of steel fence posts who was proud of employing "working girls." By 1984 it was a boom time. That will also happen again.

SlamDunk

industrial condensate pump-20 week lead time. yikes.

GroundUp

I was told about a month ago that this would happen and bought a few of each standard boiler that I use. I wish I'd have bought 20 of each because now even if I can get one (which is tough), they're 30% more expensive.

JakeCK

Everything shortages... Getting old quick.

HomerJSmith

EdTheHeaterMan, "If you pay the truck drivers and other supply chain workers a Covid Stimulus that makes it more profitable to stay away from their regular job, and allows them to make other under the table money while staying unemployed, then you should expect these things to happen." .....WHAT????? That can't be happening, can it?

Price Inflation and the super bull commodity market is going to kill your business. Yikes!

ScottSecor

Neary impossible to get commercial cast iron boilers and related components in NJ these days. Boiler representative for one of the largest manufactures in the country told me to try to push off jobs (three sites, four boilers) until spring if possible.

Been waiting for a relatively small 800,000 btu commercial (standard off the shelf) gas power burner for three weeks. Burner was supposed to arive one week after order. Customer had no heat (small office building) this heating season. In a desperate measure we just installed a used 400,000 btu burner we had sitting in our shop. Customer and tennants are very happy to not have to wear their coats in the office. Who knows when the correct buner will finally arrvie. Two weeks ago, we were told the maburner manufactrer was purchasing Honeywell gas valves from retail stores as they could not get them through the normal chamnnels. This week we were told they could not get wiring harnesses. Needless to say, we will be checking the new burner with a fine tooth comb when it finally arrives.

Been waiting for three commercial condensing boilers since Labor day. Recently we were told we might see them by end of November. Thankfuly these are replacment boilers and the existing units still operatete.

I was about twelve during the Carter years, so I really don't remember the shortages in the heating industry. However, I do remember shortages of other items, especially gasoline. Hope it gets better soon!