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Message |
    
eab
Citizen
Username: Eab
Post Number: 110
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 12:12 pm: | 
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A plumber came out to my house yesterday and raised a lot of questions in my mind about the care of my furnace, which is apparently steam-something. I change the water in the glass tube regularly; nonetheless the water in the tube is always dirty soon after the oil company's annual cleaning. It also doesn't start right up after I finish changing the oil. Third, I have 3 spigots/valves, that the plumber thinks should be used to let out a little water once in a while but clearly have not been touched in years, as they are encrusted and frozen shut. The oil company, when contacted, confirmed that they never clean the water out of the furnace as a whole, just the bit in the front. The plumber thinks the whole thing should be done cleaned out annually. (He is not offering to do this himself, BTW, he only does gas furnaces.)
What to do here? Should I be hiring someone to clean out the furnace water, or just be satisfied with what the oil company does once a year? Our house is not as warm as in past years... The furnace is old but apparently a very good one. |
Rick B
Citizen
Username: Ruck1977
Post Number: 996
Registered: 8-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 28, 2006 - 12:18 pm: |
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"after I finish changing the oil"
What do you man changing the oil?
The water in your pipes is most likely pretty dirty, that is why your glass tube gets dirty after the oil company changes it. I don't think this causes harm or inefficiency (unless it was actual mud!) From what I understand, its good every once in a while to open up your valves and drain off a little, and I usually drain off a bucket full once a week from the cut off valve.
We use Woolley adn they come once a year to service our boiler. The guy only drains from teh front as well, and spends much more time inspecting the heating elements, oil lines, and heating chamber. |
eab
Citizen
Username: Eab
Post Number: 111
Registered: 10-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 7:14 pm: |
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oops, I mean changing the water. Yes, I called Woolley and Sickley to see if they do more than my oil company but they don't seem to. |
moving soon
Citizen
Username: Movingsoon
Post Number: 72
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 1, 2006 - 9:18 pm: |
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eab, I've been wondering about this as well. Are there people (other than oil companies) who will check/tune up an oil furnace? When Gateway was at my place on another matter, they told me they don't handle oil furnaces. But it occurs to me that it isn't really in the interest of my oil company to maximize the efficiency of my furnace. If they do, they'll end up selling me less oil. Know what I mean?
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BW
Citizen
Username: Bwaldon
Post Number: 3
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 2, 2006 - 2:42 pm: |
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For Steam systems, you should drain a little water out every week or every other week to flush out the sediment and rust that can collect at the bottom of the boiler tank that holds the water. At the the end of the season, you can completely drain the boiler tank and refill via the water valve that you can turn to add more water. This is the same valve you would use if you see the water in the glass tube fall to low. It is not essential to completely drain the water every year but if you think about it, water creates rust so would be good if you want to have less rust and sediment sitting in your boiler. |
wnb
Citizen
Username: Wnb
Post Number: 330
Registered: 8-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, March 2, 2006 - 2:49 pm: |
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Maintenance regimen for the water in the boiler of a steam system should be the same regardless of the fuel used to heat it.
There are two schools of thought, those who drain the water out weekly or so till it runs clear, and those who do it once or maybe twice a season tops. I'm of the latter camp, believing introduction of fresh water into the system only speeds oxidation in the boiler tank and begets more rust.
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Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 489
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, March 2, 2006 - 3:29 pm: |
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For the record, Gateway currently does not service oil burners. The burner is the thing that shoots the oil into the boiler and burns it.
We do service the rest of the system and the boiler itself. As wnb stated, that stuff is the same.
There is a little more maintenance to an oil boiler/burner because the design is what is called a "wet base" as opposed to a gas boiler's "dry base".
Master Plvmber |
moving soon
Citizen
Username: Movingsoon
Post Number: 75
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, March 2, 2006 - 8:36 pm: |
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I gotta ask again: is there anyone other than an oil company provider who will look at/tune up an oil burner? Am I crazy to think that having your oil company do it is an inherent conflict of interest? |
Cindy Bellow
Citizen
Username: Sob
Post Number: 4
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, March 2, 2006 - 11:25 pm: |
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moviing soon -- your plumber probably will for more money since it's not part of a service contract. |
moving soon
Citizen
Username: Movingsoon
Post Number: 76
Registered: 12-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 3, 2006 - 8:47 am: |
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my plumber is master plumber's company, and they won't! do other plumbers generally offer that service? |
Arsenal
Citizen
Username: Arsenal
Post Number: 71
Registered: 8-2004
| | Posted on Friday, March 3, 2006 - 4:19 pm: |
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Moving Soon-
I don't think you are crazy about the conflict of interest, but they appear to be the only game in town. If you think about it they service the burner, provide the oil, offer a service plan incase the burner fails and offer tank insurance. A vertically integrated program, which, I hope is cheaper then hiring on a as need basis. |
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