American Standard Gravity System

HolohanFan123

I purchased a 1910 home in the New England area in 2022. The radiator system is mostly original with some baseboard sections added probably sometime after the 50's when a three season porch was converted to heated space. The original furnace was coal as I found coal in an old coal bin area. The system works beautifully as far as heating the entire 2200sq. ft. home evenly, which is a two story with full un heated basement and unvented attic. The boiler makes a whoop, whoop, whoop sound when it shuts off. I'd like to do any maintenance myself for the upcoming heating season. There is not an obvious expansion tank in the attic and don't know if it had one but according to "Classic Hydronics" by Dan Holohan it probably did. I'd like to get a plan to replace the boiler but as mentioned I'm happy with it's current performance and would like to maintain the status quo for the 2024/2025 winter season. A CO test was performed at time of home inspection. I think it's missing a low water shut-off. I made the mistake of playing with one shutoff valve at a radiator which then began leaking. From there I learned a bit about the system by working on it and in the end replacing the city water regulator which was stuck open. Besides that I have not even shut off the gas pilot light which has remained on since I purchased the home.

Jamie Hall

That big tank hanging from the basement overhead is a compression tank — and may (or more likelu may not!) be original. Whether it is or is not doesn't matter — unless they leak or someone messes up the plumbing, they work forever.

Now you can mess up the plumbing — do NOT put any other air removal widget on there. The whole principal is that any air which does get into the system eventually gets to that tank, and provides the expansion space which a hot water system needs.

Now it is possible, if you note that the system pressure fluctuates too much, that it will need to be drained — they can get waterlogged — but I see a handy drain valve, so that probably won't be a problem — if and when you have to do it.

Chances are that that valve you played with which now leaks needs to be repacked. That's not difficult.

hot_rod

Need to get a burner tech, it looks like it is running rick, by the soot marking. The air shutters are closed off?

Lots of debris under the burners, possibly from running cold water temperatures.

mattmia2

It is running rich or not drafting right or running short cycles that don't keep the hx hot enough or some combination of all 3. It looks like it has rollout. This is dangerous for both you and the life of the boiler. Fixing it isn't a diy problem, you need a professional that understands combustion. See if you can find someone trained in combustion by the national comfort institute or @Tim McElwain .

A side note, is that copper sweated to the old black iron main?

HolohanFan123

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1804439#Comment_1804439

@hot_rod Not sure if the air shutters are closed off, or where exactly to look. I looked at the burners and it looks like there is an adjustment that can be made but not sure if that's the air shutter (pictured). The gray cap on the end of the burners can be twisted, and I think the screw is a set screw. Also the asbestos has been remediated from the basement piping so that might cause cold water temps? Either way after hearing two people say I need a specialist that's what I'll do regarding burner maintenance. I just didn't know what type of specialist I needed so I called the wrong outfit that wouldn't service this boiler.

HolohanFan123

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1804443#Comment_1804443

@mattmia2 I will take that advice and find the correct specialist. I wasn't aware of the National Comfort Institute and so that's helpful for me. Here is a closeup of what I think is the black iron main(it's the largest water pipe.) Does "rollout" have something to do with the whoop, rushing of air sound, that I hear several times when the gas burners kick off?

HVACNUT

I don't think that pilot inspection door is supposed to be laying like that. It should be vertical and attached to the frame, no?

EBEBRATT-Ed

The "old boiler that precided this one probably had two supplies coming out of the top of it that went to separate mains. That is why you see the two mains tied together with "new" copper being fed from the boiler.

The old copper gets discolored darker from the asbestos that was removed trapping moisture on the pipe in the summer.

I agree you need to have the boiler and burners cleaned hopefully you can find someone that will actually clean it up but be prepared for "you need a new boiler" because that's what every technician says now.

The air shutters on the burners are just the primary air, secondary air is pulled in by the chimney. Primary air flow is induced by the gas burner.

Usually the air shutters are adjusted about 3/4 of the way open but you need a combustion test for that.

Other than the combustion issue the boiler looks in good shape for it's age.

@HolohanFan123

Post your location someone may have a recommendation and check "find a contractor" on this site.

HolohanFan123

@HVACNUT I didn't know that was a pilot light inspection door. When I took it away it was loosely laid in there. I'm not sure exactly how it goes but it does have some sort of rubbery white heat resistant material (I'm being careful with) lining the top that indicates it might is meant to touch a hot surface. Judging by the soot on the inside of the door it's been in this position for awhile. As a bonus when removing the pilot inspection door I was able to see burners a lot better. Lots of soot debris lying on top of burners as well.

HolohanFan123

@EBEBRATT-Ed I'm in Troy, NY. Yeah I answered a $80 "tune-up" special post card that came in the mail when I first purchased the home and the tech didn't really do much but say it's old and get a new one. He didn't run a combustion test or clean up anything.

@Jamie Hall I was able to fix the leak by repacking the nut. However the radiator valve did not work to turn off water supply in order to repack the nut. Right or wrong I drained the system down which became a good learning experience in the end because I did find a bad regulator which I think caused the expansion tank to become water logged once I stated working on the system. Once the bad part was replaced and I got the expansion tank correct and radiators bled the system worked flawlessly over last winter. I know now that using regular municipal water to refill the system is not ideal, but I'm not sure if anything can be done to treat it at this point.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Troy is like the wild west. Unfortunately, you're going to have problems finding someone good in that area.