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Mobile ViewHOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS AGE of a BUILDING - how to determine AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS ALUMINUM WIRING HAZARDS & REPAIRS ANIMAL ENTRY POINTS in buildings ANIMAL ODORS IN buildings ARCHITECTURE & BUILDING COMPONENT ID ASBESTOS FLOOR TILE IDENTIFICATION ASBESTOS REMOVAL, Amateur, Incomplete Asbestos Removal, Certification ASBESTOS REMOVAL GUIDE, FLOORING ASBESTOS REMOVAL, Wetting Guidelines ASBESTOS RISK ASSESSMENT ASHI American Society of Home Inspectors ASHI Certification of Home Inspectors ATTORNEYS and EXPERT WITNESSES ATTIC LEAKS, CONDENSATION & MOLD ATTIC VENTILATION BASEMENT CEILING VAPOR BARRIER BASEMENT HEAT LOSS BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE BUILDING SETTLEMENT CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHIMNEY INSPECTION & REPAIR GUIDE CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS CRAWL SPACES CRAWL SPACE SAFETY ADVICE DECK & PORCH CONSTRUCTION DECK COLLAPSE Case Study DECK FINISHES COATINGS PRESERVATIVES DECK FLASHING LEAKS, ROT Case Study DIRECTORY of BUILDING INSPECTORS DISASTER BUILDING INSPECTION & REPAIR SAFEY DRINKING WATER ELECTRICAL INSPECTION, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR Electrical Inspection Safety ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS - INSPECT, TEST, REMEDY EXTERIORS of buildings EXTERIOR WALL SIDING TRIM & FINISHES Fiberglass hazards in buildings FIBERGLASS INSULATION FIBERGLASS HAZARDS FIBERGLASS INSULATION MOLD FIRE CLEARANCES, Single-Wall Metal Flues FIREPLACES & HEARTHS FLASHING MEMBRANES PEEL & STICK FLASHING for METAL ROOFS FLASHING ROOF WALL DETAILS FLASHING ROOF-WALL SNAFU FLASHING SIDING DETAILS FLASHING WALL DETAILS FLASHING WOOD ROOF DETAILS FLOOD DAMAGE ASSESSMENT, SAFETY & CLEANUP FLOODS IN buildings-priorities FOUNDATION CRACKS & DAMAGE GUIDE FPE Stab-Lok HAZARDS & REPAIRS WEBSITE GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GUTTERS & DOWNSPOUTS GLUES ADHESIVES, EXTERIOR CONSTRUCTION HEATING SYSTEMS HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS Advice on Becoming a Home Inspector ASHI Phil Monahon Award BUILDING INSPECTORS DIRECTORY BUILDING DEFECTS LISTS AIR CONDITIONING DEFECTS LIST CHIMNEYS DEFECTS LIST ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DEFECTS LIST EXTERIOR DEFECTS LIST EXTERIOR STRUCTURAL DEFECTS LIST FIREPLACE DEFECTS LIST GARAGE DEFECTS LIST HEAT BOILER GAS DEFECTS LIST HEAT BOILER OIL DEFECTS LIST HEAT, ELECTRIC DEFECTS LIST HEAT PUMP DEFECTS LIST HEAT PUMP SUBSYS DEFECTS LIST HEAT RADIANT DEFECTS LIST HEAT FURNACE GAS DEFECTS LIST HEAT FURNACE OIL DEFECTS LIST HEAT SPACE & FIREPLACE, GAS DEFECTS LIST HEAT STEAM DEFECTS LIST HEAT, WOOD APPLIANCE DEFECTS LIST INSULATION DEFECTS LIST INTERIORS DEFECTS LIST PLUMBING DWV DEFECTS LIST PLUMBING FIXTURE DEFECTS LIST PLUMBING SUPPLY PIPE DEFECTS LIST ROOF FLASHING DEFECTS LIST ROOF LOW SLOPE DEFECTS LIST ROOF STEEP SLOPE DEFECTS LIST SITE DRAINAGE DEFECTS LIST STRUCTURE, FLOOR DEFECTS LIST STRUCTURE, FOUNDATION DEFECTS LIST STRUCTURE, ROOF DEFECTS LIST STRUCTURE, WALL DEFECTS LIST VENTILATION DEFECTS LIST WATER HEATER DEFECTS LIST Checklists vs Narrative Reports Historic Homes, Home Improvement Costs, Research HOME INSPECTOR EDUCATION Home Inspector, How to Become a Home Inspector Skills, Reports Home Inspection Company Franchises Home Inspection Components Master List Home Inspection Definitions & Terms Home Inspection Ethical Codes Home Inspection, How to Get The Most Benefit From Home Inspection Publications Home Inspection Report Writing Guide Home Inspection Safety Hazards HOME INSPECTION STANDARDS HOUSE DOCTOR, how-to be How Much Should You Pay For Professional Services? INSPECTION COMONENTS MASTER LIST Mobile Home Inspection Guide VISUAL PERCEPTION ERRORS HOT WATER HEATERS HOUSE PARTS, DEFINITIONS INDOOR AIR QUALITY IMPROVEMENT GUIDE ICE DAM PREVENTION INSULATION IDENTIFICATION GUIDE INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT Journal of Light Construction - Index 1994 KIT HOMES, Aladdin, Sears, Wards, Others LEAD POISONING HAZARDS GUIDE LEED GREEN BUILDING CERTIFICATION LEED Building Designation & IAQ LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS LOG HOME GUIDE MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC Mobile Home Inspection Guide MOISTURE CONTROL in BUILDINGS MOISTURE METER STUDY MOLD in buildings MOLD PREVENTION GUIDE MOLD RELATED ILLNESS GUIDE MOLD SAFETY WARNINGS MOLD SPRAYS, SEALANTS, PAINTS MOLD STANDARDS MOLD TESTING SERVICES MSDS Material Safety Data Sheets MVOCs & MOLDY MUSTY ODORS Nanomaterials Hazards NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE ODORS & SMELLS DIAGNOSIS & CURE OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS OIL TANKS INSPECT LEAK TEST ABANDON REGS PAINT ANALYSIS, DIAGNOSTIC USES PAINT & STAIN GUIDE, EXTERIOR PAINT FALURE, DIAGNOSIS, CURE, PREVENTION PIPING IN buildings, Clogs Leaks Types PLASTER & BEAVERBOARD & DRYWALL PLASTER BULGES & PILLOWS PLASTER LATH, METAL PLASTER, LOOSE FALL HAZARDS PLASTER TYPE IDENTIFICATION PLUMBING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR PUSHMATIC - BULLDOG PANELS Reports: Checklists vs Narrative ROOFING INSPECTION & REPAIR ROOF VENTILATION SPECIFICATIONS SAFE DECK CONSTRUCTION GUIDE SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS SAFETY: Elderly & Veterans Home Safety SAFETY for ELECTRICAL INSPECTORS SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE Safety for Septic Inspectors Sears Catalog kit homes - how to identify Septic System Safety Hazards SEPTIC SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR SIDING, Sheathing Identification - Photo Guide SIDING, ALUMINUM SIDING, ASBESTOS FIBER CEMENT SIDING ASPHALT ROOF SHINGLES on WALLS SIDING ASPHALT SHINGLE or SHEET SIDING DAMAGE by SPLASHBACK SIDING EIFS & STUCCO SIDING, FIBER CEMENT SIDING HARDBOARD SIDING STEEL SIDING VINYL SIDING, WOOD PRODUCT CHOICES SIDING, WOOD INSTALLATION SIDING WOOD, FAILURES OVER FOAM BOARD SIDING WOOD, FLASHING DETAILS SIDING WOOD SHINGLE INSTALLATION SINKHOLES, WARNING SIGNS SLAB CRACK EVALUATION SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS Splits in Structural Wood Beams SQUARE-D RECALLS STAIN & BIODETERIORATION AGENT CATALOG STAINS on buildings - QUICK GUIDE STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING EXTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on ROOFS STAIN DIAGNOSIS on STONE STAINS on INDOOR SURFACES: PHOTO GUIDE STANDARDS, HOME INSPECTION STAIRS, RAILINGS, LANDINGS, RAMPS STAIR FALL & TRIP HAZARDS STONE CLEANING METHODS STRESS SKIN INSULATED PANELS TANK TYPES: WATER, OIL, EXPANSION, ALL THERMAL TRACKING Indicates Heat Loss VAPOR BARRIERS & HOUSEWRAP VAPOR CONDENSATION & BUILDING SHEATHING VENTILATION in buildings VISUAL PERCEPTION ERRORS WATER ENTRY in buildings WATER HEATERS WATER ODORS, CAUSE CURE WATER PRESSURE & FLOW MEASUREMENT WATER PUMPS, TANKS, TESTS, WELLS, REPAIRS WATER PUMPS & WELLS WATER QUANTITY IMPROVEMENT WATER SOFTENERS & CONDITIONERS WATER TEST CHOICES & WATER TEST FEES WATER TESTS, CONTAMINANTS, TREATMENT WATER TESTING ADVICE WATER TREATMENT EQUIPMENT CHOICES WELLS CISTERNS & SPRINGS WELL CLEARANCES WELL CHLORINATION SHOCKING PROCEDURE WIND ENERGY SYSTEMS WIND TURBINES & LIGHTNING WINDOWS & DOORS Wood Burning Boilers, Furnaces Fireplaces Stoves WOOD ROOF INSPECTION GUIDE ZINSCO / SYLVANIA HAZARDS ![]() ![]() ![]() More Information |
This article lists significant Oil-Fired Heating boiler (hot water or hydronic heat) defects, definitions, and home inspection education topics. This article series, beginning at BUILDING DEFECTS LISTS, provides lists of common building defects and basic defect knowledge that also outline recommended curriculum content for home inspector education. The building defects and inspection points listed in these articles also guide homeowners and home buyers to building areas that merit careful attention and often point areas of safety concern or important maintenance and repair tasks. Readers should see HEATING SYSTEMS for our complete list of articles on this topic. Also see HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS. Use the Search Box at the top or bottom of these pages to find in-depth information about building, energy savings, and indoor environment inspection, diagnosis and repair at this website. Watch out: these inspection lists do not list all possible defects for the systems discussed, and not all home or building inspectors will examine all of the items listed here. CONTACT us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website. Also see BOILERS, HEATING, BOILER NOISE SMOKE ODORS, BOILER OPERATING PROBLEMS These curriculae and building defect lists are based on smilar curriculum documents first prepared by Joe Scaduto, an ASHI member who prepared course material for Northeastern University's Building Inspection Certificate program in 1988, subsequently by DF, InspectApedia's editor, for New York University ca 1988 and later, with others, recommended to ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. ASHI did not adopt this material though currently that association as well as others offer extensive HOME INSPECTOR EDUCATION material. The curriculum and lists of defects are informed by additional analysis of the process of home inspection that was developed beginning Calgary, AB for Canadian and U.S. home inspector education and certification examinations in 1997. Other early contributors to home inspection education in the U.S. and Canada include Dr. Jess Aronstein, Alan Carson, Mike Casey, Mark Cramer, John Cox, Dwight Barnett, Douglas Hansen, Rick Heyl, Larry Hoytt, Bill Merrill, Kevin O'Malley, Dennis Robitalille, Keith Peddie, Pat Porzio, Roger Robinson. © Copyright 2012 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use page top links to major topics or use links at the left of each page to navigate within topics and documents at this website. Green links show where you are in a document series or at this website. Home Inspection Education Curriculum - Heating Boiler Defects4.3 Hot Water Heating Boilers - Hydronic Heating System Defects List4.3.1 Knowledge Base for Oil Fired Heating Boilers1. Describe the function of a hot water (hydronic) heating system. 2. Describe open and closed heating systems. 3. Describe four types of distribution piping (series loop, 1-pipe system, 2-pipe system - direct return, 2-pipe system - reverse return). 4. List the materials and components of a typical hot water heating system including fuel storage and supply system, burner, combustion air supply, venting, cabinet/body, heat exchanger, controls, expansion tank, pump (circulators), pipe, radiator, convector, baseboard, radiant heating. 5. Describe the features of adequate installation and repair technique for hot water heating systems. 6. Outline the advantages and disadvantages of hot watering heating relative to forced air heating. 7. Outline the differences between boilers and furnaces, including the normal operating cycles. 8. Define the following terms with respect to hot water boilers: convection, conduction, radiation, super heated water, pressure relief valve, high temperature limit switch, low water cut-out, backflow preventer, pressure reducing valve (automatic water makeup), automatic air vent, primary control pump(circulator), zone control, outdoor air thermostat, flow control valve, isolating valve, tankless coil, radiator bleed valve, radiator control valve, air separator (air scoop), aquastat, open expansion tank, closed expansion tank, diaphragm (bladder) expansion tank, side arm heater, indirect water heater, mixing valve(tempering valve), condensing boilers. 9. Outline the life expectancies of boilers made of various materials. 10. Identify the codes or standards which apply to hot water heating systems in your area. 4.3.2 Inspection Skills for Oil Fired Heating Boilers1. Describe the inspection procedure for hot water heating systems. 2. Identify the following common defects listed on the next page. 3. Describe the implication of each defect. 4. Identify safety issues for the inspector and occupant of the home (steam explosion, combustion product poisoning, electric shock, physical injury). 5. Communicate findings to client verbally and in writing, recommending corrective action where needed. Oil Fired HOT WATER Heating BOILER TYPICAL DEFECTS ListsHEAT EXCHANGERS THERMOSTATS • Clogged • Heat anticipator problems • Excess temperature rise • Damaged • Leaks • Dirty • Rust • Loose • Not level CABINETS • Poor adjustment or calibration • Poor location • Combustible clearance • Mechanical damage EXPANSION TANKS • Missing components • Obstructed air intake • Leaks • Rust • Poor discharge location for open tank • Scorching • Poor location for tank • Rust AIR VENTS • Too small • Waterlogged • Inoperative, damaged isolation valve JDG autofill mehanisms JDG • Leaking CIRCULATORS • Missing • Obstructed • Hot • Inoperative PRIMARY CONTROLS • Leaks • Noisy • Inoperative • Set incorrectly PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES PUMP CONTROLS • Missing • No piped extension • Inoperative • Pipe too small • Set incorrectly • Pipe threaded, capped or corroded at the bottom ZONE CONTROLS • Pipe dripping or leaking • Poor location • Inoperative • Set wrong • Leaking • Wrong size OUTDOOR AIR THERMOSTATS HIGH TEMPERATURE LIMIT SWITCHES • Inoperative • Defective, not wired correctly • Missing FLOW CONTROL VALVES • Set too high • Inoperative LOW WATER CUTOUTS • Leaks • Inoperative ISOLATING VALVES • Leaking • Inoperative BACKFLOW PREVENTERS • Leaks • Rust • Installed backwards • Leaking • Missing PRESSURE REDUCING VALVES on Oil Fired Heating BoilersMID AND HIGH EFFICIENCY BOILERS, Oil Fired Defects• Inoperative • Cabinet problems • Installed backwards • Combustion air and venting problems • Leaking • Condensate handling problems • Missing • Fuel supply and burner problems • Set too low • Heat exchanger problems • Ignition problems PIPES • Induced draft and forced draft fan problems • Crimped • Safety and operating control problems • Leaks • No insulation RADIANT HEATING, Oil Fired Boilers • Poor support • Rust • Balancing valve problems • Too small • Bleed valve problems • Cool rooms or parts of rooms – inoperative? RADIATORS, CONVECTORS • Leak AND BASEBOARDS TANKLESS COILS • Balancing valve problems • Bleed valve problems • Leak • Cold • Rust • Damaged baseboard fins • Poor hot water pressure or flow (clogged?) • Leaks • Tempering valve – missing, set wrong, defective • Missing • Obstructed airflow • Poor location • Rust • Too small (cool rooms) OIL BURNERS AND VENTING, Typical Defects ListOIL TANKS REFRACTORY/FIRE POT • Empty • Crumbling, cracked, collapsed • Leakage • Saturated • Not suitable for outdoor use • Rusting PRIMARY CONTROLLERS • Underground • Unsafe location • Inoperative • Missing FILL AND VENT PIPES • Tripped • Abandoned BAROMETRIC DAMPERS/DRAFT REGULATORS • Damaged or corroded • Leak • Improper location • Missing caps • Inadequate draft air • Inoperative OIL SUPPLY LINES • Misadjusted maladjusted JDG • Missing • Corrosion, damage, crimped • Rusting • Leak • Spillage • Undersized • Unprotected VENTING SYSTEMS OIL FILTERS • Improper material • Inadequate combustible clearance • Dirty • Poor support • Leak • Poor slope • Missing • Poor connections • Poor manifolding COMBUSTION AIR • Poor insertion into chimney • Rust, dirty, obstructed • Inadequate combustion air • Vent connector too big, too small • Vent connector too long BURNERS MID EFFICIENCY OIL FURNACES • Dirty • Incomplete combustion – soot • Corroded vents • Inoperative • Excess temperature rise • Leaking • Poor vent location, arrangement • Short cycling • Reliability • Too close to combustibles • Vibrating, noisy Readers should see HEATING SYSTEMS for our complete list of articles on this topic. Also see HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS. Use the Search Box at the top or bottom of these pages to find in-depth information about building, energy savings, and indoor environment inspection, diagnosis and repair at this website. Watch out: these inspection lists do not list all possible defects for the systems discussed, and not all home or building inspectors will examine all of the items listed here. CONTACT us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website. Also see BOILERS, HEATING, BOILER NOISE SMOKE ODORS, BOILER OPERATING PROBLEMS
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