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pads

What is the reason for pouring a pad for a boiler?

Comments

  • John Lenhart
    John Lenhart Member Posts: 25
    boiler pad

    You don't need one,but they are nice. If the basement floods and the boiler is on a dry base out of the water,that's a good thing. The oil gun will suck dirt off the floor. I've seen the inside of an oil gun with saw dust in it already. The boiler was sitting on the floor. If you sweep dirt under a natural gas boiler,the dirt ignites and burns. Also if the boiler is elevated, it makes servicing eazy. Just some thoughts to ponder. Hope this helps.Good luck.
  • Boilerpro_2
    Boilerpro_2 Member Posts: 89
    With heavy boilers..

    it may be needed to spread out the weight over a larger area (like the footings of a house). Many boilers put most of the weight of the boiler on a very small area under the legs so the pressure probably can get into the hundreds of pounds per square inch. However, as previously stated, it also just makes for a better installation.

    Boilerpro

  • boiler pads

    I like to raise oil fired boilers up on 8 inch solid blocks, makes servicing easier. Gets oil line and filter out of the way of the swing door.
  • Ray M_2
    Ray M_2 Member Posts: 64
    pads

    Here in White Plains it is code to place the boiler on a pad or blocks.In fact any equipment in the room has to be raised at least 2 inches re: water heater,fan in a can ect.



    lol

    Ray m

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  • Mark A. Custis
    Mark A. Custis Member Posts: 247
    Try this:

    I use two inch precast a/c slabes when possible. Most retrofits, see photo, are in unlevel conditions. I shim to level the pad pick it up and skim coat the floor with a mortor mix reinforced with an extra tad of portland cement. I can not find the fastset stuff in a form I can use. Reset the slab on the shimms to maintain level while the cement product drys and plumb away.

    Mark

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  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 22,830
    AC pads

    I set a LP heater on one of those once and it melted the styrofoam out of it! Some of those are cast with white beadboard foam as a filler. For weight reduction, I suppose. It may not take the heat, if your brand is the foam filled type :)

    hot rod
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Here here...

    There, there. If the boiler is not approved for installation on a combustible floor, I would not suggest using a foam filled AC pad.

    The pads are referred to around these parts as "house keeping pads". Hence, their need is for house keeping. Makes it easier to clean around the boilers.

    As for putting boilers not rated for use with combustible floors on a cement or gypcrete pad, I've now seen three seperate cases where the boilers combustion radiation downward caused the wood framing members on the other side of 1-1/2" of concrete to "bridge and flash" causing a fire.

    There's a reason the manufacturers show the use of celluar block bases below the boiler. It's to disipate the heat so it can't do this. Follow the manufacturers instructions, or bear the brunt if something goes wrong.

    JMHO

    ME
  • Mark A. Custis
    Mark A. Custis Member Posts: 247
    The ones I use are

    2" solid precast concrete. No foam filled will not do at all, sorry for the miscomunication. Just a quick easy way to do the job.

    Mark

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  • J.C.A.
    J.C.A. Member Posts: 349
    Blocking up a boiler ...

    Also keeps the typical boiler drains off the floor a bit , so we can save our knuckles ! I like to use a 4X8X16 solid block under each leg . Leaves lots of room to dissapate downward radiation and a handy place for the water to go . I have also used the space for running oil feed lines . Kind of an inexpensive and handy pre-heater. Chris
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