Small Water Leak from my Burnham Oil Furnace

MonkeyBoy_1966

my 20-year-old Burnham Oil Furnance has sprung a small water leak. Where the water circulates around the Blast Chamber, on the return side, a small leak popped up in January. My HVAC guys have seen this before in the same era Oil Furnaces. I can see where the leak is easy. So, now my F'ed up Harry Homeowner question.

Would heat-tolerant two-part epoxy work? It's a dribble at best and that is only when the furnace is running hard during the last couple of cold spells. It also supplies my domestic hot water. I was looking at JB Weld's "WaterWeld" epoxy, it is rated for 250° and J-B Weld 8297 HighHeat 500 Degree Epoxy is rated to 400°.

I have a really old house, 1770 and 1838, and the cellar was dirt when I bought the house. We poured concrete and install the system in an area that works well. I have a puddle about 2' or so around the leak and the water itself isn't a problem. My cellar is far from being air or watertight so I'm not overly concerned about that. We don't have mold and the water evaporates on days when the furnace isn't running a lot.

So, stupid idea?

HVACNUT

Is it a V7 or V8 model? 

Not sure if any of those methods would work. It's leaking into the combustion chamber? Either way you're just prolonging the inevitable. 

A 3 pass with an indirect or a System 2000 with their water heater would be a good investment upgrade.

STEVEusaPA

If you have a hole there, there are probably a dozen places ready cut loose.
You could give it a shot, but are you prepared for it cutting loose and draining the entire system into the basement.
I'd start on a replacement. Get a heat loss done, start pricing it up, before AC season is into full gear.

Big Ed_4

Add a boiler dope to the boiler to seal it to get you though....

Mad Dog_2

As the Boys said, give it a shot but start putting away 💸  for replacement.   Mad Dog