Steamer Problem

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Old house two blocks from me had open house. On market for $420,000 which is high for a home ANYWHERE in this town so I was particularly interested (or is that nosy).

Radiators for heat (good) all built in to enclosures (not so good). Enclosures nicely made but poorly designed with just pierced wood on a front panel (40% or so open I'm guessing), solid top, no opening at bottom. U.S. Capitol rads really hot and the convection was REALLY pumping. Rooms fairly comfortable (if a touch drafty and hot near my head) but I couldn't feel their presence like in my house where they're uncovered.

Of course I went to the basement. Saw my first "new" boiler-maybe five years old? Bryant STEAMER. I'd guess about a 4' cube. Didn't see any rating plate on the outside.

Water glass was quite clear (FIRST time I've seen that) but water line was maybe 1/2" from the bottom and seemed to be moving quite a bit. Boiler was steaming, pressure gauge read zero, and water line was moving about 3/8" quite rapidly. Does that count as "surging"?

Pieces of wire were wrapped around the glass--I presume to mark the "OK" water level zone--again water level nearly disappeared from view on the "down" part of the movement.

Looked towards the back of the boiler and saw two steady drips from a flanged connection to the header (4"). Boiler jacket below drips was slightly discolored but paint intact and no real rusting.

Drug the agent down and told her to contact the owners PRONTO as house has been empty and unoccupied since the start of the heating season. She said the "gardener" came in regularly to check on the house. Told her to make CERTAIN that the gardener knew this was occurring and how to add water.

YES, there was a low-water cutoff connected at the bottom of the sight glass, but no feeder.

Sorry to show my ignorance of steam, but was I "right" in telling her to do this and that it probably wouldn't be too long before it shut down and quit heating altogether?

One other thing: LWCO looked markedly older than the boiler. Is it common practice to "recycle" the LWCO?

Steamhead

That amount of surging

tells me that boiler might benefit from a skim. It worries me that the water in the glass would almost disappear.

And the water line standing 1/2" above the bottom of the sight glass is really cutting it close. There's a chance the LWCO was not working. I wonder if the "gardener" knows the right way to blow down a LWCO?

Every steam boiler I've installed has come with a new LWCO, either a float or probe type. Maybe the humidity in the basement caused that one to start rusting?

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