Air Shutters

Mark_37

To whom is willing to read and respond,

I have a circa 1960 steam-over-gas American Standard 120,000 BTU, 375 sq/ft boiler.

As I started looking over the beast for the season, I noticed the burner air shutters were loose and in "front" of the set screw heads doing no good. So, I removed the burners and repositioned all shutters under the screw heads as they should be.

So the question...where is a good "base" setting for the shutters? wide open at 100%? 50% ? Depnds on flame quality?

Al Letellier

air shutters

You're playing with fire, and your personal safety, if you readjust air shutters and don't do an efficiency test IMMEDIATELY !!!! get a pro in there and get that thing properly adjusted with instruments, not "base-line" or by eye. With gas especially, the danger of CO poisoning is very real....

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Unknown

Al is definetly correct,

I stongly suggest you get a professional in to check your system and conduct a Combustion Analysis. I speak from many years in the gas industry when I say this. Your safety and the safety of your family is at stake.Carbon Monoxide can be present even if the flame looks good. It is odorless, colorless and not detectable by the humans senses. The arbitrary adjustment of air shutters without a test is very dangerous.

What is your location as we have many pros that post here on the wall that could help you out. Perhaps one is near you???

Mark_37

I am in north eastern NJ....20 minutes outside manhattan.

In fact, I would love to get the name of a plumber/HVAC pro who I can trust and is knowledgeable.

Mark_37

Al,

thanks for the info. What's mosre troubling is that I know the shutters have not been touched/adjusted since we bought the house 3 years ago! On top of that, as I said, they were loose all that time and it wasnt even possible to set some of them because, as I said, the shutter plates were in front of the set screws. theres no way they could have been adjusted correctly. unbelievable.

Steamhead

Mark, I see this all the time

and totally agree with Al and Tim. Fortunately, all you need to do is visit the Find a Professional page of this site. Follow the instructions to locate one near you. I am familiar with Ken Secor of Palmer Heating, in Rahway, and I know he could help you.

Besides verifying that the boiler is operating safely, a combustion analysis and proper adjustment may lower your gas usage. And Ken is into steam also, so he may be able to suggest some other fuel-saving upgrades.

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Mark_37

Steamhead, thanks for the reference. Can I ask what it is you "see all the time"? misadjusted shutters?

ya, as you say, lowering my gas usage would be welcomed. this boiler (in this under insulated house) is gas hog.

we go close to $300 a month in the coldest winter months but also use gas water heater and range/oven. but still the boiler sucks most of the gas im sure.

Steamhead

Loose Shutters

are pretty common in the Baltimore area, where I am. I also sometimes see maladjusted regulators and other nasty things. It's amazing these don't cause more problems than they do.

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