Sand (?) in Steam Boiler

GW

Hi guys,

Got a call several weels ago, the bottom of the gage glass was gooked up with this sand like stuff. The lady called back today, more issues with the gage. Where can the sand be coming from? All returns are above ground. BTW, this is a 10 year or so old swap out, all copper... yeah baby. Could the copper dump this type of stuff back to the boiler?

Thanks
Gary

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Steamhead

It's possible

but if the sand is also greasy, it's probably just years of dirt breaking loose and winding up in the boiler.

Completely flush out the boiler and wet returns- bet you find a lot more gook.

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jack_4

Stuff in the pipes

I had a job once where little bits of melted styrofoam would show up in the sight glass. We flushed it out, days later it was back.

This went on for about 2 months.

Then we went out because steam was blowing out in a kids bedroom. We found the vent valve on the dresser along with bits of a broken up styrofoam cup.

The kid fessed up. He had learned that he could take the valve off and stuff parts of the cup into the radiator. He told us he was doing an experiment.

We flushed the system and let Mom deal with the kid.

Do you have a kid with access to sand in the house?

George_10

calcium

You may also have a build up of calcium carbonate that appears to be a "sand" like form. If you can get a small sample of the sand and add a few drops of acid (available from any testing source) and it foams like an alka-seltzer then you have calcium problems. If it is a calcium problem then it is probably baking on the tubes of the boiler even as we speak.
Are you using a chemical treatment in this boiler? How about a water softner?
Food for thought.
Scott

Dan Law

Remote possibility

Is the make up water city supply or on-site well? If well, check a water heater drain sample, and the faucet strainers. Wouldn't be the first time sand came in with well water.