Can I use a chemical to clean my boiler pipes?

james_6

I just want to take the time to thank everyone who helped me resolve this problem I was having. This a great website and you guys are the best!

Lydia

james_6

Are there any chemicals I can use to treat my narrowing pipes ?

Hey guys! I just bought a home, it was built in the early 50's. I have hot water heat (an obsolete Weil Mclain boiler). I was testing it out the other night, getting ready for winter. I turned the thermostate in the house up to 80 degrees for about an hour. All of the cast iron registers were warm, NOT HOT, and one of the registers was completely cold.
The water temp on the boiler is set at 180 degrees. I have bled all the registers until they shot out water. One problem I see is that the boiler and hot water heater are in the garage, because the home does not have a utility room. Are there any chemicals I could use to clean the pipes? I don't think the water is flowing through the pipes very well.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Lydia *cheese*

hot_rod

Yes, but

that would be low on my list of suspects. Probably get a hydronics pro to help check out the pumps, and look for other flow issues. You will need some specfic tools and training to give the system a complete check, and assure it is operating safely. Water side, safety switches, combustion and flue check out are just some of the item to have professionally checked out.

If the pipes are plugged enough to not move any heat, chemicals probably won't help.

hot rod

james_6

Thanks for the good advice Hot Rod! Will it mean changing the whole piping system? Or possibly a new boiler? I do have Central Air, would it just be easier and/or cheaper to add a heat exchange to the blower for the A/C and go with forced hot air?

Lydia

paul lessard_2

Wadia tinkin?

Remove all that cast iron? people pay good money to put that stuff in!
pipes?....nah....boiler?...see post above.. no and no to the last two. I'll bet a pro could fix you up in no time..
good luck...paul lessard *and rice*

james_6

ha ha! rice huh????? well, i know one thing, Paul, I have a 1600 sq foot ranch and I froze my butt off last winter.....I needed a parka to walk from the bedroom to the kitchen. It was so cold, my toothpaste burst in the shower.......lol......and I paid almost 350.00 bux a month to turn into an icicle.....I've got to find a solution before winter hits again........BRRRRRRRRRR

Lydia *wink, wink

John@Reliable_4

Paul, is your e-mail

set-up? tried to e-mail you about something and it came back, John

paul lessard_2

maybe you you should type dirty

lots of porn stuff arrives daily.try again John

james_6

Paul!

Love the pic of Colorado! what a view to burn into memory!

Thanks
Lydia *cheese*(smile)

james_6

I called out the P R O F E S S I O N A L S

And he gave me good advice! He says because the system is Older, I need a damper put on and a relay switch??????????
He says the boiler is working at about 60% efficiency....and he can get it up to 85-90% by adding these two things! what are they exactly, and does that make sense?

Lydia

John@Reliable_4

I did!

John@Reliable_4

Lydia, sounds like...........

most likely yes to the relay or maybe a aquastat replacement. The damper mmmmmm? really don't save that much. As far as 85 to 90% I would really question that, see if they will put it in writing. The relay/aquastat controls your pump and boiler water temp. The damper closes when unit is off to control standby heat loss up chimmey. John@Reliable

james_6

John

what is the purpose of a relay? The guy that came out said the damper will close off the boiler so the water will stay hot. What is a relay or aquastat? also, he says to get rid of the old expansion tank and put in an exxtroll with a bladder? I want to be more educated before he comes back next week to do the work. What would you suggest, John?

Lydia

John@Reliable_4

Lydia, where do I begin

A relay is usually a device that relays power. Your cir. pump runs on 120 volts but your thermostat is only 24 volts.So the 24v tells the relay to turn on the 120v pump. The aquastat tells the boiler what temp. to run at and also will turn on the pump or shut it off depending what the temp. of the water is.What I find on allot of older systems is they used a cold start aquastat that doesn't maintain any off temp. What I would do is add a Honeywell 8124 aquastat relay that will maintain at least 140 degree water in the boiler at all times and a max hi setting of 190 degrees. As far as the tank replacement why? "if it works" You have an old system that sooner or later you know will need replacment this would be the time to upgrade everything and not here and thier. P.S. love to see his numbers in writing!Hope this helps John@Reliable