What not to do

John T_2

Attached are pic's of a job I recently visited. This is a carrier boiler and the manual was sitting right on top of the boiler. In it were some of the best near boiler piping diagrams and piping guidelines that I've ever seen. They (carrier) even had a diagram showing how not to pipe steam boiler, the installers followed THAT diagram to the letter.

Note the steam branch coming off the left side of the copper steam main, the one with the dielectric union. That used to supply a radiator whose return is now connected to the 007 pictured in the next photo. Guess what the direction of flow is on that circulator?

Constantin

Hmmmm....

I'll take the bait and guess that the 007 is set up in reverse!

But seriously, this looks like an opportunity for a complete near-boiler repipe job. I also suspect a asbestos abatement opportunity... I hope that the homeowners will do something about it... the place looks like it has been drenched multiple times in the past.

Steamhead

We really need a Hall of Shame

for jobs like that. It's one of the worst I've seen.

Does Dunkirk actually make Carrier's boilers?

To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Constantin

How about...

... not a hall of shame but "Improvments..."

I'd hate the Wall to descend into the same kind of sniping and slamming that occurs over at Hvac-talk. Rather, I'd love to see more before and after pictures that illustrate solutions rather than problems, that praise the savior, rather than humiliate the initial installer, etc.

Keep it positive, it's what makes the Wall a great place to be!

John T_2

Recommended repipe

But of course the homeowner doesn't want to pay for it twice. I suggested they contact the city for an inspection because the contractor stopped resonding to thier calls. I'm going to keep in contact with them though and we'll see how this plays out.

Yes the 007 has condensate flowing into the supply main. There was also no backflo preventer, relief valve discharge pipe, all the original main vents were still there and it has a dry return less than 10" above water line. (Not to mention the other glaring deficiencies)

The Lost Art Of Steam Heating sure opens one's eyes when looking over these old systems.

John T_2

Not sure

But the installation manual sure was top notch.

Weezbo

Well said. \"we are part of the solution , or,we're outta here!

personally the inline check is outstanding )

Mijola

That hack job

The guy who installed that boiler is obviously a hack.

What was the actual problem that you were call to the home to address?

Ed Carey

John T_2

Simple repair

One of the copper tees was leaking and needed repair. I hated to tell them the whole story.

The tough thing on jobs like these is that when you ask the customer how it's been working they reply "it seems to be working fine".

Repipes are hard to sell unless the customer is willing to be educated.

dan f

what?

Is that a hot water boiler piped to a steam system? Love the brazed joints. Wow just think about the time they spent doing it all wrong, silly rabbit tricks are for kids!

jerry scharf_2

loan them a copy of we got steam heat

Buy a copy to loan (don't forget to tape a business card on the inside front cover.) Offer it to them, and tell them you will need to pick it back up in 2 weeks. If they read it, they may discover that the heating doesn't work fine, never worked fine, and there are annoyances that can be fixed. If they have you do work, they can keep the book. Tell them if they thought it was helpful, they could share it with their neighbors as well.

If they can't find the time to read it, a trip to pick up the book is all that is lost and possibly a new copy of the book every few times.

thanks,
jerry

Mitch_4

yes they do

Lennox too I believe. Dunkirk OEM's a lot of boilers (Olsen, sears, utica)

John R. Hall

Tough call

I sympathize with guys (and gals) who are called to fix a problem and then see an obviously flawed installation. In many cases I'm sure the homeowner is unaware of the problem and unable to afford a redo. There is also the factor of slamming another competitor, regardless of their level of competence (or incompetence).

It might be best to make the repair, recommend any upgrades or a regular maintenance schedule, and leave a brochure which contains pics of your own jobs. The homeowner may get the hint without hearing a lot of bashing -- and call you the next time they need service or a quote for a new system.