Proper method to cleaning out boiler?

Frankfog2

Before i begin using my system i’m curious on what should be done to have it boil clean. I’ve seen videos on youtube and often times they clean out the sight glass and knobs but i’d rather not go so far. I’d prefer ti get all the dirty water out of the boiler because the sight glass gets rusty when in use and clears when the system cools.

i plan to clean out the pig tail and gauge and all that good stuff, however again my main concern is trying to clean the water as much as possible. Last year i had a bunch of vents clog no me, don’t want that again

ethicalpaul

just drain a little until the water starts to run clear. Do it after it has settled.

Draining all the water is chasing your tail because the more fresh water you add, the more brown water (rust) you will create.

The water rustiness should have nothing to do with your vents unless it is surging. Steam is clean no matter how dirty the water is.

Is your boiler surging?

clammy

i will have to say from experience that removing the plugs and washing a boiler out is not chasing your tail thinking that just opening a boiler drain and drain some water till clear will not remove the chocolate milk that your trying to boil. Does trying to boil muddied up water not effect the quality of steam ? i would think so and my time doing this is proof enough for me. I say this w total confidence being i have been on many jobs where removing the return tee plug on the inlet of the boiler and found the return sections of the boiler partially blocked w mud after washing out and re firing the boiler the steam at the end of the return heat up time was always more then 1/2 the time . So saying that draining and flushing the bottom of a boiler is a waste of time is fine by me being every boiler that i have replaced in the past 20 years is always filled w mud and semi block sections but hey if y wonder why your fuel bill is higher and your system takes longer and longer to heat up well just keep the mud in the boiler and believe you got it all out by simply drain a bit of water out ,if it gives you that i did some thing feeling then that s excellent. The real up side to it is usually no mater how crappy the new clean boiler is piped it will always seem great to a old properly piped boiler loaded w mud and crap it usually always the deal w new properly piped installs that are having issues is all the junk in the main being sent back home to roost . in closing if mud does not effect production of steam then what if anything does mud build in the boiler do? for sure lowers heat transfer because it acts as a insulation barrier from flame to cast to water ? Have you ever seen a section dry fire due to the water side push nipple being block w crap i know i have so preach that non water side flushing and washing is unnecessary and some of us will continue to replace them . until your asked why my boiler has a hole in it and no one has ever flooded, flushed and washed it you ll never know . it s not the most glamourous part of servicing a steam boiler and usually a pia but it completely necessary cause if you dont do then you dont know and you let it slide till the floors wet or the ho is tried of waiting for heat well then it may be to late .. peace and good luck clammy

ethicalpaul

Thanks, Clammy. If a boiler is known to be packed with sediment, then I agree with you. But the reason they get packed with sediment is because people add too much fresh water and/or don't drain at all for years and years.

There are so many variables and different issues at play there's no one perfect answer, but I propose that keeping mud production to nearly zero is very possible with a little attention to pH level and vigilance of leaks. And if you can get there you'll never need to completely drain, let alone wand anything out as some kind of annual maintenance. Have a great week!