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

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes · March 23

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 · March 23

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 · March 23

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 · March 23

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 · March 23

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 · March 23

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 · March 23

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 · March 23

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 · March 23

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

hot_rod · March 23

And the un-vented S trap :)

mattmia2 · March 23

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.

109A_5 · March 24

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1892679#Comment_1892679

Maybe, however just changing the boiler without correcting that issue also solves what for the customer ???

4GenPlumber · March 24

I would clean it up. Agree with @mattmia2 on the soot. Im sure you could improve the system, but if the homeowner doesnt want to pay to improve it, they arent gonna want to pay to replace it.

Alan (California Radiant) Forbes · March 24

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1892679#Comment_1892679

Cast iron BB.

I'd love to install an atmospheric boiler, but they are not allowed here. Only high efficiency boilers, unfortunately.

The reason why it sooted up? Basements get improved without air for combustion considerations. The mechanical area was walled off without adding vents to the outdoors. So, part of cleaning the boiler would be the job of adding proper combustion air so that this does not happen again.

mattmia2 · March 24

that would do it too. still don't think it makes sense to replace it

WilliamGwiazdowski · March 24

Only time I would replace the Burnham V7 steamer at my place would be if it leaks all over the floor or starts sending steam up the chimney. Otherwise runs great and efficiency is pretty damn good and combustion numbers last month were probably about as good as they can be. She was installed in October 1998. Haven't had any real troubles other than a new LWCO 10 years ago, a leaky drain valve which I capped and then just regular maintenance. Last month I had a plumber friend help me put a new combustion chamber in it and run the combustion analysis.

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

Comments

Categories