How do you know when to say, "Replace the Boiler"?

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes · 4:38AM

As I know more and more about what makes systems go sideways, I'm less reluctant to want to replace the boiler.

Many boilers can be restored from high CO readings by cleaning the HX. But speaking to colleagues, they are reticent to do this kind of work and prefer to replace the equipment.

mattmia2 · 6:43AM

when water is running out on the floor.

the replacing the maintenance parts costs more than replacing the boiler idea doesn't account for the race to the bottom in what is available to replace it with. i have almost always been disappointed in what i replaced something with when i decide to replace it rather than fix it.

109A_5 · 6:44AM

Referring to Cast Iron boilers:

My guess is they don't know how to repair certain things.

The profit may be greater in replacement.

To me the only time a boiler should be replaced is when the heat exchanger fails. Everything else falls under the maintenance category.

People think new is better, to me new is just new and it probably won't last as long as what it replaced.

Mod Con:

Maybe another story, similar to above with the added criteria, maintenance parts may be much more specialized, may not be available or extremely expensive. To me more situational dependent.

" How do you know when to say, "Replace the Boiler"? "

If you can't repair it, and your pride sees that as the only way out.

psb75 · 11:08AM

The heat exchanger "health" as the principal factor in deciding to replace a boiler is generally a good metric. But…what if other larger components are failing and the boiler mfg. company has gone out of business? Like say…Buderus or Triangle Tube? Fans, control boards, consumable parts etc,

Jamie Hall · 1:44PM

Good points up there. If it is a solid, not fancy, cast iron boiler — as has been said, only consider replacement if it's actively leaking. There isn't much else to fail, and what there is is eminently repairable or replaceable.

But… if it's a newer boiler with thin heat exchangers and all kinds of electronic controls, it may be much better to replace it, just like a modern car.

Oh and one other thing — replacing an older solid cast iron boiler for something new and flashy never pays. Keep the old girl running.

hot_rod · 2:00PM

Age of the boiler, parts availability, past maintenance, how long they plan on owning the home.

Also is the current boiler sized properly? Probably a large % of CI boilers are oversized judging by 20 years of HH posts. So low efficiency, high fuel costs due to mis-sizing.

The best approach is lay out the pros and cons of a change and let the customer decide.

If it is an unsafe situation, belching CO into the space for example, disable it, have the gas utility yellow tag it.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes · 4:32PM

Would you want to work on this boiler? It had multiple problems that we repaired: Frozen B&G bearing assembly, clogged fill valve and a compromised x-tank. And then when we eventually fired the boiler, CO was off the charts and we had to shut it down. The next thing to do was to open up the HX for inspection/cleaning, but at that point, my back was giving me problems. Colleagues wouldn't touch it unless they could replace it.

109A_5 · 7:20PM

So replacing the boiler would repair the:

Frozen B&G bearing assembly,

Clogged fill valve,

compromised x-tank,

Your Back.

Your colleagues would probably be changing more than just the boiler.

Removing the old boiler an putting in a CI would not help your Back any.

What was the underlying cause of the CO issue, not enough combustion air in the building ? A new CI boiler may not repair that issue.

mattmia2 · 7:34PM

the issue is probably that boiler on a high mass system without return water protection so it sooted up.

hot_rod · 7:44PM

And the un-vented S trap :)

mattmia2 · 8:06PM

it is a lot tougher call in your area because even though that boiler might be 60 or 70 years old in your climate it might have about as many hours on it as a boiler in my climate gets in a year.

How do you know when to say, "Replace the Boiler"?

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