Steam Boiler Fall Service

ryan_7

We do alot of hot water heat, but see very few steam systems. Could anyone of you tell me what a typical fall tune up consists of. You may skip the burner part as we service all types of burners, gas and oil.
Thanks

Steamhead (in transit)

Perhaps the most important thing

is checking the operation of all safety controls: Low-water cutoff, pressuretrol or Vaporstat, water feeder, safety valve.

Check main vents. Recommend addition of main vents if there are none, these will save lots of fuel. If leaking, stuck or too small, recommend replacement. Size main vents using the Gill/Pajek charts, available on the Books and More page of this site.

Check with owner- are any rooms too hot or too cold? If so, find the problem.

Did they have to add a lot of water over the last season? If so, there's a leak somewhere. Find it. Flood the boiler to make sure it's not leaking above the waterline.

If this is a Vapor system with traps, start the system and feel the dry return. If you find steam getting into the dry return, advise the owner to have you rebuild the leaky traps.

clammy

water side cleaning

Depending on the age and access to the water side namely the mud legs of wet returns and the mud side on the boiler which means draining the boiler pulling the return plugs out and running a brush through the return passes on the boiler have seen a few boiler die from the push nipples in the boiler being blocked with mud .Wash out the inside of the boiler then re assemble and skim the boiler besides checking the pressuretrol pig tail and low water cut off and the nipples also check and clean the gauge glass **** ,burner assemble and the steam chest as steamhead has stated it'a always good to check the chimmey for obstruction and cycle the burner and check those main vents and don't forget the safey peace clammy

LKE

steam tuneup

After the mud leg cleaning and refilling you should raise the ph, weil mclane recomends it be between 7.0 and 8.5. This can be done by adding a little tsp and testing with test strips. This is also a good time to brush the fire side and check the flue gas temperature at the breeching.