How do I repressurize my boiler?

Deweydoo

I recently bled a radiator that wasn't functioning well to try to see if I could get it to work better and it seemed to have done the trick, but then I realized my boiler's pressure went to 0, which I read can occur after bleeding. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to figure out how to repressurize my boiler now and I'm not sure why. It's a peerless 63/64 series natural gas boiler and I've posted some pics. I think I need to feed it somehow, and the "feed" button on one of the boxes seemed to have sent water previously but doesn't seem to do anything at all now.

New homeowner with a newborn (1st child) we just brought home not 2 days ago (thanksgiving baby) and just trying to make sure the house isn't too child for our little one. The heat still works but definitely is not running as efficiently as it used to, and the hot water still works fine.

Thanks so much for any help... I plan to take a quick nap and then check back and actively view and respond to the post if there are any questions.

KC_Jones

You have a steam system, there is nothing to actually bleed on those.

The pressure should be at zero when it's not running, and when it is running (if everything is proper) at almost zero, usually those 30 PSI gauges never move, but don't worry about that. Just remember, lower is better on steam.

If you have a heat imbalance, you need to balance the system with proper venting (the silver thing on the pictured radiator), but that actually starts in the basement with proper main venting. Look around the basement for any vents on the main piping. They will either be silver bullet shaped, or possibly gold or silver hockey puck type shape. If unsure, post pics of what you find and we can advise.

That boiler is about 4 years old, and indicating 114 gallons of water usage. I would add that to the list of things to take care of. It either indicates a fairly significant leak, or someone has been draining water regularly in the name of maintenance. If it's the first one, I'd guess it's a steam leak somewhere and should be taken care of. If it's the second one, it just needs to stop. You shouldn't use more than about a gallon per month.

JUGHNE

And you have a stand alone hot water heater....not connected to the boiler at all.

You would do well to get the book "We Got Steam Heat" by Dan Holohan, the founder of this site. Well written for the lay person homeowner. Great investment in your case.

Deweydoo

Thanks so much for the response!

Is this what you mean re: hockey puck thing? It's the only thing I could find down there:



We just moved in here a few months ago so I'm starting to think calling someone to help find a leak and balance the system might be the best move. If I did try to balance the system myself - what might be the technique? Turning all the rads off and cycling through them 1 at a time? Could this also help find a leak? I think if there is a leak that isn't in main section that it would from the rad in my bedroom, which I was the one I was trying to fix in the first place - it barely ever seemed to come on even though all the other rads seemed to work fine and when it does come on only half of it ever seems to be hot.

Deweydoo

Thanks for the book recommendation! Not sure how long we'll live here, but I do love to read so might give it a go... however, I'm currently obsessed with devouring as much cryptocurrency knowledge as possible with all my free time (which will likely be minimal from now on with a newborn).

EdTheHeaterMan

@Deweydoo, Your explanation of the problem sound like you have been reading or watching video about a hot water boiler with a tankless coil. Forget everything you have read about that type of heating system. your steam boiler operates in a completely different way. @JUGHNE has the best advise. that book is available on this website's store or amazon.com

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=we've+got+steam+heat&i=stripbooks&ref=nb_sb_noss_1

JUGHNE

Those are your steam main pipe air vents. You may hear them passing air until steam gets to them and then they close and should pass no steam or water.

Do you have any pipes that drop down into the floor and appear above the floor perhaps at the boiler. Called buried wet returns and are often a cause of unseen water loss.

Jamie Hall

In one of the pictures you posted there is a clear glass tube shown on the front of the boiler. It's just to the right of the box with the red label on it (which is your low water cutoff and control).

What is the water level in that tube? When I look at the picture, it almost looks as though the tube is full to the top or beyond. It shouldn't be. The water level in that tube should be just even with the dark line on the boiler front behind it. If there's too much water in the boiler -- which is quite possible -- your heat will be poor -- if it works at all. I have a sneaking suspicion that in trying to add water you have succeeded -- and added a good bit more water than the system needs.

So... go take a closer look at that tube, and if it seems that it's full of water to the top or above, you should let some out -- which you can do quite conveniently with either of those hose bibbs into the blue bucket shown in one of the other pictures.

Deweydoo

Jamie Hall said:

So... go take a closer look at that tube, and if it seems that it's full of water to the top or above, you should let some out -- which you can do quite conveniently with either of those hose bibbs into the blue bucket shown in one of the other pictures.

Definitely seems you were right about it being overfull... was able to drain a bunch of water to cause the tube to be even with the black line on the boiler front. Hoping that will help.

JUGHNE said:

Do you have any pipes that drop down into the floor and appear above the floor perhaps at the boiler. Called buried wet returns and are often a cause of unseen water loss.

I didn't see any pipes heading underground, although there are some directly underneath the boiler, but nothing wet underneath there. I did just notice that the exit/venting valve in the one problematic radiator seems to be venting quite a lot, and water came out quickly when I turned the valve. Could this be the cause of the extra water use/leak?

KC_Jones

The only thing that should ever come out of a vent is air, if you see steam or water the vent has failed and needs replaced.

Deweydoo

KC_Jones said:

The only thing that should ever come out of a vent is air, if you see steam or water the vent has failed and needs replaced.

So could that failed valve be the cause of all the water loss though, or no?

JUGHNE

Could you post pictures of the boiler showing the piping from floor to ceiling?
Also the pipes "under the boiler".

If you have leaking underfloor pipes you may never see any water.

KC_Jones

Deweydoo said:

The only thing that should ever come out of a vent is air, if you see steam or water the vent has failed and needs replaced.

So could that failed valve be the cause of all the water loss though, or no?

Maybe.  If there are enough failed vents and they vent enough steam for long enough then it could be the cause.  Fixing those issues is never a bad idea.

I suspect the previous owner was draining water from the boiler monthly, maybe weekly. That counter should be around 25-30 not 114.

Another possibility is the boiler overfilling, based on how over full you were already.  Need to diagnose the actual usage to verify if there is a real problem or not.

To figure out current water usage, watch that meter and see how much you use in a month, if it’s more than a gallon or two, you are losing excessive water.  If it’s not even a gallon, you are probably good.  That said, water usage should be monitored at least yearly, it’s a diagnostic tool for part of the health of the system.

neilc

get and read that book,

you mentioned closing valves at the radiators, to attempt balancing,
don't do that,
don't throttle any of the valves at the radiators trying to do any balancing either,
the valves at the floor need to be all the way open, counterclockwise, open,

balancing is done at the vents on the far side of the rads, by slowing, or speeding up, the venting rate,
it's in the book,
the vent end of those radiators should be slightly higher than the valve end, rads need to pitch back to their supply valves,

If you were flooded, and up into the rads,
shut the boiler off for a moment and go make sure to open all your rad valves,
this will let any trapped water drain back down to boiler,
check that sightglass for proper level,
then restart the boiler,

this is all in the book,

when the boiler is firing,
what pressure do you see on the gage?

Deweydoo

Thanks KC and Neil! Definitely plan to get that book.

Heat seems to be functioning pretty well right now after I made sure to open all rads as much as possible per Neil's advice and I think you might be right about the previous owner KC. I definitely will keep an eye on the counter before taking any further action and hopefully it doesn't end up being a leak I'm pretty sure it hasn't had much movement since we moved in late July.

JUGHNE said:

Could you post pictures of the boiler showing the piping from floor to ceiling?
Also the pipes "under the boiler".

If you have leaking underfloor pipes you may never see any water.

The pipes under the boiler just run horizontally directly beneath the boiler and a foot or so above the ground. There's nothing that appears to run into the floor anywhere.