| Author |
Message |
    
Amanda
Citizen
Username: Amandalavin
Post Number: 7
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 9:45 pm: | 
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I've shut off the heat now that it's warmed up. Is there something I'm supposed to do with the boiler - shut the switch on it or empty water out or anything?
Thanks! |
Case
Citizen
Username: Case
Post Number: 1371
Registered: 2-2005
| | Posted on Monday, April 17, 2006 - 10:02 pm: |
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I'm dying to see the answers - I've heard "fill the boiler completely" (which kind of makes sense)... I guess we'll find out soon. |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 526
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 2:01 pm: |
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Fill it completely until the water rises into the piping and fire it until it makes steam. After you do that, you no longer have use of your boiler until the proper water level is set.
Master Plvmber |
I'm Only Sleeping
Citizen
Username: Imonlysleeping
Post Number: 159
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 2:26 pm: |
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Sorry for the dumb questions, but what is "piping" and how do you know when the water has risen into it? How do you know when it's making steam? And how do you set the proper water level when you want to use it again? I am new to all of this. |
greenetree
Supporter
Username: Greenetree
Post Number: 7278
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 2:27 pm: |
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This is my routine:
Turn off boiler. Have oil company come do maintenance some time in July. Turn on in Octoberish.
Will doing the above be better for it? |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4535
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 8:19 pm: |
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The water level, fill it until the glass indicator is flooded, then open the pressure relief valve and wait until it flows with water, release the valve so it closes and give it 10 more seconds of fill. You have now flooded the pipes.
Fire the boiler by moving the thermostat to 85 degrees.
When you hear steam in the pipes or the rads, you are done.
Turn the thermostat back down. Turn the boiler off at the switches. Close the pilot light if you have one.
Have a good season.
Later,
George |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 241
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 8:47 pm: |
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I'm a tad confused..
What exactly does that do, to fill it with water like that? Why not just leave it at a normal level, and check that level in the fall before you turn the heat on?
Also, I've talked with repair people who recommend leaving the pilot on, which gives the thermocouple a longer lifespan.
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Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 527
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 9:07 pm: |
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Filling the boiler eliminates the line of corrosion that forms where the water level meets air. Putting the water into the piping creates a much smaller surface area for that to happen. Firing the boiler briefly to make steam boils out the excess oxygen to further limit corrosion.
Two schools of thought on the pilot light: One is that the active pilot flame keeps the boiler's cast iron interior dry and rust free, thus extending its life a bit. The other is that the extinguished flame conserves that teeny weeny bit of fuel and adds some time to the life of the thermocouple (pilot flame sensor)
Master Plvmber |
Amanda
Citizen
Username: Amandalavin
Post Number: 10
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - 10:28 pm: |
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I'm confused...what do you do with the switch on the boiler? Do you shut it off and does having an automatic water filler factor into things? |
Master Plvmber
Citizen
Username: Master_plvmber
Post Number: 528
Registered: 3-2003
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 8:02 am: |
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Turn off the switch. The water filler will be disabled.
Master Plvmber |
I'm Only Sleeping
Citizen
Username: Imonlysleeping
Post Number: 160
Registered: 8-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 6:09 pm: |
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Thanks JG and Master P (you guys ever think about forming a rap group?)! This is a big help. I'm new to the whole house thing and totally clueless about this stuff. |
Amanda
Citizen
Username: Amandalavin
Post Number: 11
Registered: 1-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 6:52 pm: |
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Ok, to recap. Shut off the switch on the boiler, fill it with water, then fire it up briefly. Really dumb question - do I leave the switch off or turn it back on?
Thanks! |
Jgberkeley
Citizen
Username: Jgberkeley
Post Number: 4544
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 6:33 am: |
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No, Restated in correct order.
Fill with water.
Fire the boiler briefly. (Generate steam)
Turn off the switch at the boiler and leave it off for the summer.
The Rap group, would that be JG and the Master P
or
Master P and JG? |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11261
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 8:44 am: |
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Dumb question number 348578
Do you do the same thing with a hot water system. After living most of my life with steam I am trying to get use to hot water. |
David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 116
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 8:58 am: |
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BobK, Your hot water system is already full, just turn off the switch or set the thermostat all the way down and forget about it until its pre-season check-up in the late summer/early fall. |
Bob K
Supporter
Username: Bobk
Post Number: 11264
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 9:49 am: |
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David:
Dah!!! I knew that.
Thanks
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Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13763
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 11:59 am: |
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David, your answer confuses me. If I turned the thermostat way down, wouldn't the boiler continue to keep the water hot? So wouldn't it fire up once the water temperature fell below a certain level?
I have a hot water system. I turned the switch off.
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David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 117
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 7:55 pm: |
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Tom, Your boiler should only fire on a call for heat. While its possible that it is wired to maintain temperature, that's usually found only on boilers that have internal coils for making domestic hot water -you don't have that. If your boiler is wired to maintain a minimum temperayure, that's a simple and worthwile fix that will save a lot of gas in the in-between times of year like now when you only need a little heat at night or in the morning. Otherwise, you can just turn the switch off in the summer. |
Tom Reingold
Supporter
Username: Noglider
Post Number: 13784
Registered: 1-2003
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 7:57 pm: |
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That's good to know. But it doesn't hurt if I turn it entirely off until heating system, does it?
Thanks again!
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Mozek
Citizen
Username: Mozek
Post Number: 70
Registered: 4-2005
| | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 12:54 pm: |
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We have oil (steam) heat. Does this end-of-season routine work for an oil-fired boiler too (or are you talking only about natural gas)? |
David Cataneo
Citizen
Username: Dave_cataneo
Post Number: 118
Registered: 4-2004
| | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 1:16 pm: |
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Oil or gas, It doesn't matter. Turning it off for the summer is fine. |
Amateur Night
Citizen
Username: Deborahg
Post Number: 1831
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, April 21, 2006 - 5:56 pm: |
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Hey, it's gonna be 40 degrees tonight. So don't do it yet!
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