Four year old Aquabalance boiler leaking

newguy101

I had a propane fired Weil Mclain Aquabalance boiler and two zone heating system installed in 2020, replacing electric baseboard heat.

Four years later, the boiler started leaking. The guy who installed it has come out three times now to address the leak. The first time he replaced a bunch of seals. It started leaking again in a few days. The second time he replaced the relief valve. It started leaking again in about 2 weeks. The third time he texted me "I found the heat exchanger seal to be leaking what seems to be condensate water from the flue gasses." He sent me a video that I will try to attach. He said he is going to reach out to the manufacturer.

I am posting on here because I am surprised that a four year old boiler is having an issue like this. I was under the impression that a new boiler would last a long time and without issues. Is there a chance that the guy who installed the system installed it wrong? Or could it be a manufacturing defect? Do you think it is likely that the manufacturer will do something about this? I want to be more informed than I currently am when I hear back from

Any advice you might have would be much appreciated.

https://youtube.com/shorts/WAYTQh2bwQE?feature=share

newguy101

See above video. Also, here is a zoomed out pic of the system. Sorry it's not a great pic. I am not currently home and so this is a still from a video a friend took.

EdTheHeaterMan

To be clear, is that a video of your boiler taken by the repair tech?

Looking at the warranty on your boiler, It appears to me that it is one of Weil McLain's shortest warranties. Only 10 years and the last three years are pro rated. That looks like a failure that should be covered by the warranty at 100%. The problem with any boiler manufacturer's warranty is that it only covers the part(s). They give you the parts and you need to pay the labor for the actual work to install those parts.

If your repair guy is reputable, perhaps you can work with him regarding the labor you already paid for the unsuccessful repairs.

For now I would pursue the Weil McLain warranty and ask for a labor allowance from Weil McLain.  Sometimes they offer that when the failure happens in such a short time.   The Weil McLain warranty is handled thru the supply house where the boiler was purchased and they usually deal with the installing or repairing contractor. So you are pretty much out of it unless you insert your self in the process and make lots of calls to the supply house and the manufacture.

Become the squeaky wheel.

newguy101

Yes, the video was taken by the repair tech. Thank you so much! That is really really helpful to hear you say that. I will do as you say.

HVACNUT

Has it been maintained annually? That's what WM is going to ask. The vent and intake both go right out. What do the look like outside?

newguy101

The system was installed in 2020. I then got it serviced in 2021. I unfortunately waited three years to get it serviced again. I was under the mistaken impression (from coworkers who I think have noncondensing boilers) that propane boilers don't have to be maintained annually. I understand now that was a mistake. But I am struggling with the idea that going three years without servicing permanently destroyed our boiler.

newguy101

I am not home now. I will take a pic when I get home of the outside and send it to you. If I am remembering right though, one pipe curves downward (intake?) and one curves upward (exhaust?).

Other details - we do not use the hot water side of the boiler - we have a separate propane fired hot water heater. That heater was only a few years old when we had the Aquabalance installed, so I figured we'd wait to switch over to the Aquabalance for hot water until the existing heater failed. We also have a wood stove which we use pretty regularly, so the Aquabalance is often not carrying the full heat load of the house.

HVACNUT

I'm not positive if the water is coming from the back of the HX, or is the water traveling around the outside perimeter of the HX.

The front plate needs to be removed to check, clean, test th HX. Have necessary gaskets on hand. And a combustion analyzer.

kcopp

That W-M is a rebadged Italian Ferolli boiler.

I follow a number of heating contractors on social media from the UK and they dont speak highly of them.

I dont think its an install error.

What do you have for heating emitters?

What temp does the boiler usually run at?

Is there an outdoor sensor on the system?

newguy101

I am glad to hear that it doesn't sound like an install error, but definitely not encouraged to hear that these boilers aren't well thought of. There is an outdoor sensor on the system. I do not know what temp it normally runs at. I can check that when I get home. I am currently out of town for the holidays. The system is heating a 2400 sqft colonial. There are slant fin elements (I think that's the term? I googled it and the pics looked right) in each of the rooms.