Leaking Boiler original gravity hot water system

fizbancor

Hello everybody,

I've followed on here for a few years and really enjoy the posts and discussion. I'll say to begin with that I love all things about steam and hot water systems. Particularly the old ones fired by the old means.

I have a building with I believe the original Pierce-Eastwood Boiler as well as whole radiator system. I believe the system was abandoned for likely 20-30+ years before I tried it out. I realized that the boiler is leaking in several spots inside of it. I tried a couple of times administering Boiler liquid with only a short success of stopping the leak.

I'm going to assume that my luck in reasonable repairing this boiler is small? I assume that probably installing a new forced circulation boiler is likely the best solution?

I figured I'd double check here before proceeding. From briefly firing the current boiler I've also realized that a couple of the current radiators won't flow with the gravity system. I'm assuming the pipes are pitched wrong and won't purge the air as they should.

Otherwise I'd consider installing another boiler as a gravity system.

I appreciate any advice.

Thanks, Ross

Jamie Hall

Probably will have to go with forced circulation — not because gravity has stopped working, but the gravity circulation works much better with boiler with lots of water — and the new ones don't.

I'd go primary/secondary, and I'd make provision for very complete balancing — forced circulation just doesn't balance the way gravity does.

EBEBRATT-Ed

Possible that some of the rads are air bound. Do you have enough water in the system? gravity expansion tank in the attic??

Gravity is an open system and could have a bunch of rust. new boiler properly sized and flush the system. Replace near boiler piping and expansion tanketc.