Big boiler problem (maybe) help
#1
09-06-08, 04:26 PM
Big boiler problem (maybe) help
Woke up this morning to an amazon hot house with soaked rugs and fallen ceilings. Water all over the place from second floor to basement. It seems the boiler will not shut off except for using the switch. The unit is a slant fin summer/winter hookup(oil). I still can't find out where the water came from. The radiators were hot as h3ll so I used the switch to shut it down. My questions are; Since it ran that hot for a while could the heat crack a pipe or something in the system to let the water run out and with the thermostat off what is causing this to run on and on and on.
Thanks
Thanks
#2
09-06-08, 05:02 PM
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First of all, is it a steam or hot water boiler?
Is the basement open to the rest of the house?
It sounds to me that your boiler high limit control has failed, and the boiler kept going until the relief valve let go also releasing a whole bunch of steam which went throughout the home causing the water damage. If it were just a leaky pipe, you would not have a problem all over the house, but somewhat localized around the area of the leak. If the high limit would not shut off the boiler, it will keep going until you run out of oil or the power is disconnected, and would continue to make steam whether it is a steam or hot water boiler, especially if the fill valve was closed.. Hopefully the boiler is not damaged.
Sounds like you need a service tech immediately
DO NOT RUN THE BOILER UNTIL FIXED.
Is the basement open to the rest of the house?
It sounds to me that your boiler high limit control has failed, and the boiler kept going until the relief valve let go also releasing a whole bunch of steam which went throughout the home causing the water damage. If it were just a leaky pipe, you would not have a problem all over the house, but somewhat localized around the area of the leak. If the high limit would not shut off the boiler, it will keep going until you run out of oil or the power is disconnected, and would continue to make steam whether it is a steam or hot water boiler, especially if the fill valve was closed.. Hopefully the boiler is not damaged.
Sounds like you need a service tech immediately
DO NOT RUN THE BOILER UNTIL FIXED.
#3
09-07-08, 07:37 AM
Oil fired
Yes it is oil and water system. The leak was on the second floor and went to the basement where the boiler is located. I shut it down to check the stat today and will call service Monday. Can the excessive heat from circulating cause the cast iron radiator to crack or any of the return or feed pipes to crack?
Thanks
Thanks
#4
09-07-08, 08:27 AM
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It actually sounds more like just a blown or leaking pipe on the second floor. Unfortunately, you did not get the readings off the pressure/temp gauge when this happened. It would tell a lot. I am sure your heating tech will be able to figure it out. I not let me know.
#5
09-07-08, 11:13 AM
today
Just got back and the clean up guys had the dryers going. Turned on the system filled it to 30 lbs. and ran it to 175. Then checked thermostat looks like it is working, my bet is when it got wet it shorted out and kept it calling for heat. Boiler ran to 175 and stayed with 28 lbs. Used the autofeed to juice it up, blew the valve on top of the heater. Still looked around and let it run well past the max of the stat and couldn't find any leaks. ( the radiators again hot as h3ll). I left the pressure up and will go back in a couple hours.
A friend of mine said it may be a bleeder valve on one of the radiators. Can these blow a lot of water with the auto feed on. I suspect this may be the problem cause it was wet and in the area of the leak
Thanks,
Jim
A friend of mine said it may be a bleeder valve on one of the radiators. Can these blow a lot of water with the auto feed on. I suspect this may be the problem cause it was wet and in the area of the leak
Thanks,
Jim
#6
09-07-08, 11:56 AM
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First off, 28 psi is too much. The relief valve is designed to blow at 30psi. If it is a standard 2 story house, you should be running around 12-15psi. Maybe 17-20 when hot.
So are you telling me you have the boiler filled back up to pressure and up to temp and now there is no leak?
So are you telling me you have the boiler filled back up to pressure and up to temp and now there is no leak?
#9
09-07-08, 04:46 PM
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If your pressure jumped that much with a small temp increase tells me your expansion tank is not working properly. This is causing higher pressures than needed and could be the cause of the problem.
If you have a standard bladder type tank, it will need to be replaced.
If you have a standard bladder type tank, it will need to be replaced.
#11
09-07-08, 11:04 PM
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If you left it at 25psi, it should be around 23-27psi. The relief valve is set to blow at 30psi. But you should bring it down to 17psi when hot. then it should run between 12 and 17psi
