Boiler Maintenance

John Williams

I have a Single-Pipe Oil-Fired Steam heating system in my 1901 home.

What must I do to maintain the system (besides the yearly service by a qualified technician)?

"Add vinegar or chemicals to the water"?
"Drain off some of the water"?
"Clean the system or pipes somehow"?
"Treat the air vents"?

Thanks!

Steamhead

Perhaps the most important thing

is to flush the float chamber of the low-water cutoff- assuming yours is a float type. Most such units are piped into the tappings for the sight glass on the boiler. Do this once a week under normal circumstances, and once a day for several weeks after the system has been worked on. When you do this, do so after the burner has just started. The control, if good, will stop the burner- if it does not, get it fixed right away as the boiler will crack if the burner starts and there's no water in the boiler.

Pay attention to the system. Is it noisy? Is anything leaking? Do all the vents close when steam reaches them? Do some rooms heat up faster than others?

It might pay to call an experienced steam man to show you all this, and troubleshoot any of the above conditions. Go to the Find a Contractor page of this site to locate one near you.

To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Edward A. Carey

LWCO

Steamhead,

We visited this topic in depth some time ago. Your suggestion to John, to flush the LWCO "after the burner has just started", may be percieved by him that the boiler must be running, but does not have to be up to full steam pressure.

If he has a typical McDonnll & Miller #67, or other float chamber type LWCO, the boiler must be up to full steam pressure, or the fluid will not be circulated into the float chamber during the blow down.

If he opens the blow down valve, and he has just started the boiler, he will test the shut off feature of the LWCO at that moment. The float shouldfall and water will flow out of the bottom of the control, but is there is no pressure on the system, the water will never enter the float chamber. Corrosion can be building and never be detected, unitl it is too late.

The instructions of a MM LWCO states that the boiler must be at "operating temperature" when flushing the control. Operating temperature is boiling and pressurized in a steam system. That is why they also require the discharge pipe to be connected to the bottom of the blow down valve. It is so the steam and water that are propelled under stam pressure, out of the bottom of the blow down valve, will not scald the person flushing the control.

Mfg states that the MM float chamber type LWCO also must be disassembled and internally cleaned during annual tune up, each year. Mfg also states that it should be replaced ever ten yearsm, good or bad.

Edward A. Carey

LWCO

Steamhead,

We visited this topic in depth some time ago.
John, you can check the older posts on this topic, there is quite a lot of information on Low Water Cut Off maint.

Your suggestion to John, to flush the LWCO "after the burner has just started", may be percieved by him that the boiler must be running, but does not have to be up to full steam pressure.

If he has a typical McDonnll & Miller #67, or other float chamber type LWCO, the boiler must be up to full steam pressure, or the fluid will not be circulated up into the float chamber during the blow down.

If he opens the blow down valve, and he has just started the boiler, he will test the shut off feature of the LWCO at that moment. The float should fall and shut off the burner. Water will flow out of the bottom of the control, but if there is no pressure on the system, the water will never enter up into the float chamber. Corrosion can be building and never be detected, unitl it is too late.

The instructions of a MM LWCO state that the boiler must be at "operating temperature" when flushing the control. Operating temperature is boiling and pressurized in a steam system. That is why they also require the discharge pipe to be connected to the bottom of the blow down valve. It is so the steam and water that are propelled under steam pressure, out of the bottom of the blow down valve, will not scald the person flushing the control.

Mfg states that the MM float chamber type LWCO also must be disassembled and cleaned each year and it should be replaced ever ten years, good or bad.

JMHO, but taken from the installation specs for
MM products.

Regards,

Edward A. (ED) Carey

Steamhead

Good Point

but in a heating system, we rarely see that much pressure- or at least we shouldn't see more than 2 pounds on a very cold day. The idea is to test the cutoff and not have a large amount of cold make-up water hitting a hot boiler. Yes, we know the make-up line should not go straight into the boiler, but how many times do we see this mistake in the field?



To Learn More About This Contractor, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Contractor"

Johnny B.

Condensate pump cycles on every 90 seconds

Subject: Condensate pump cycles on every 90 seconds and sounds loud and gravelly


I have read the info on "The condensate is too hot for pump" and "Condensate pump's check valve is not seating tightly". I also am in the process of replacing the steam vents which have been blowing steam for apparently over two winter seasons (causing the rotting of floors above). This system is older than Methuzela but the building owners are unwilling to replace the system at this time. What other advice can be given in order to keep this dinosaur running a little more efficiently a little longer? I have to go over to this location every two days to check the system just to make sure it continues to heat the apartments. Granted I don't mind being paid for walking up and saying "Yup that's a boiler", but I take pride in my work and want to offer the owners every option.

Johnny B
Maitenance supervisor of apartment building