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InspectAPedia ® Home HEATING SYSTEMS AFUE DEFINITION, RATINGS AGE of AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS AGE of HEATERS, BOILERS, FURNACES AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS AIR FILTERS for HVAC SYSTEMS AIR HANDLER / BLOWER UNITS AIRBOUND HEAT SYSTEM REPAIRS ANODES & DIP TUBES on WATER HEATERS ANTIFREEZE for BOILERS ANTI SCALD VALVES APPLIANCE EFFICIENCY RATINGS ASBESTOS IDENTIFICATION IN buildings BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT BACKFLOW PREVENTERS, HEAT BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT BACKUP HEAT for HEAT PUMPS BAROMETRIC DAMPERS BASEBOARD HEAT BIOGAS PRODUCTION & USE BLEVE EXPLOSIONS BLOWER DOORS & AIR INFILTRATION BLOWER FAN CONTINUOUS OPERATION BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLAMES BLUERAY Recall BOILERS, HEATING BOILER PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE SETTINGS BOOKSTORE - InspectAPedia BTU USAGE MONITORS BUILDING SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE CAPACITORS for HARD STARTING MOTORS CARBON DIOXIDE - CO2 CARBON MONOXIDE - CO CHEMICAL TREATMENTS for BOILERS CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR CHIMNEYS & Flues - Asbestos Transite Pipe CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS CIRCULATOR PUMPS & RELAYS COOL OFF HEAT, Thermostat Switch COMBUSTION AIR COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT buildings COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ COMPLETE COMBUSTION, Stoichiometric CREOSOTE FIRE HAZARDS Curved Brick Chimneys - Sulphation CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES DAMAGE CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS DEFINITION of Heating & Cooling Terms DIAGNOSE & FIX AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-BOILER DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-FURNACE DIRECT VENTS / SIDE WALL VENTS DIRECTORY of OIL TANK EXPERTS DRAFT HOODS - gas fired DRAFT MEASUREMENT, CHIMNEYS & FLUES DRAFT REGULATORS, DAMPERS, BOOSTERS DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS DUST, HVAC CONTAMINATION STUDY DUST SAMPLING PROCEDURE ELECTRIC HEAT, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE ELECTRIC MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT EVAPORATIVE COOLING SYSTEMS FAN, AIR HANDLER BLOWER UNIT FAN AUTO ON Thermostat Switch FAN, COMPRESSOR/CONDENSER UNIT FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS FAN LIMIT SWITCH FAN NOISES FILTERS, AIR for HVAC SYSTEMS FILTERS, OIL on HEATING EQUIPMENT FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS FIREPLACES & HEARTHS FLAME COLOR, BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLOODED HEATING EQUIPMENT REPAIR FLOODED WATER HEATER REPAIR FLUE SIZE SPECIFICATIONS FLUE VENT CONNECTORS FREEZE-PROOF A BUILDING FUEL OIL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS FUEL UNIT, HEATING OIL PUMPS FURNACES, HEATING GALVANIC SCALE & METAL CORROSION GAS BURNER Flame & Noise Defects GAS FIRED WATER HEATERS GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GAUGES ON HEATING EQUIPMENT GEOTHERMAL HEATING SYSTEMS HEAT EXCHANGER LEAK TEST HEAT LOSS in BUILDINGS HEAT LOSS DETECTION TOOLS HEAT LOSS INDICATORS HEAT LOSS PREVENTION PRIORITIES HEAT LOSS R U & K VALUE CALCULATION HEAT PUMPS, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR HEAT TAPES & CABLES on Roofs for Ice Dams HEATING COST FUEL & BTU Cost Table HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HEATING LOSS DIAGNOSIS-BOILERS HEATING LOSS DIAGNOSIS-FURNACES HEATING OIL CLOUD WAX GEL POINT HEATING OIL EXPOSURE HAZARDS, LIMITS HEATING OIL - OLD, USEABLE? HEATING OIL PIPING TROUBLES HEATING OIL SHELF LIFE HEATING OIL SLUDGE HEATING OIL USAGE RATE HEATING SMALL LOADS HEATING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION DETAILS HEATING SYSTEM NOISES HEATING SYSTEM TYPES HIGH EFFICIENCY BOILERS/FURNACES HOT WATER HEATERS HOT WATER IMPROVEMENT INSULATION INSPECTION & IMPROVEMENT LOW VOLTAGE BUILDING WIRING LOW VOLTAGE TRANSFORMER TEST LP & Natural Gas Safety Hazards MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC MIXING / ANTI-SCALD VALVES MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH Natural Gas Combustion Products NO HEAT - BOILER NO HEAT - FURNACE NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE NOISE AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP NOISE, DUCT VIBRATION DAMPENERS NOISE, HEATING SYSTEMS NOISE, PLUMBING NOISE, WATER HEATER ODORS FROM HEATING SYSTEMS OIL BURNERS OIL BURNER FUEL UNIT OIL BURNER INSPECTION & REPAIR OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS OIL BURNER NOZZLE & ELECTRODES OIL BURNERS, RETENTION HEAD OIL BURNER SOOT & PUFFBACKS OIL FILTERS on HEATING EQUIPMENT OIL FILTER MISSING OIL FUEL TYPES & CHARACTERISTICS OIL HEAT FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS OIL LINE CLOGGING FIX OIL LINE QUICK STOP VALVES OIL LINE SAFETY VALVES OIL ODORS, LEAKY OIL TANK PIPING OIL PUMP FUEL UNIT OIL SPILL CLEANUP / PREVENTION OIL TANKS PLASTIC HEATER VENT PULSE COMBUSTION HEATERS PASCAL CALCULATIONS PRESSURE REDUCING VALVES PRESSURE REGULATOR, WATER PUFFBACKS, OIL BURNER PUMPS, PONY PUMPS RADIANT BARRIERS RADIANT HEAT RADIANT HEAT Floor Mistakes to Avoid RADIANT HEAT TEMPERATURES RADIANT SLAB FLOORING CHOICES RADIANT SLAB TUBING & FLUID CHOICES RADIATORS REFRIGERANTS & PIPING RELIEF VALVE LEAKS RELIEF VALVES - TP Valves on Boilers RELIEF VALVES - STEAM TP VALVES RELIEF VALVES - Water Heaters RELIEF VALVES - Water Tanks Reset Switch - Heater Primary Control Reset Switch Broken - Quick Repair RESET SWITCH - ELECTRIC MOTOR Reset Switch - Stack Relays SAFETY HAZARDS & INSPECTIONS SAFETY HAZARDS GUIDE SAFETY, HEATING INSPECTION SAFETY RECALLS, Chimneys, Vents, Heaters SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM DESIGNS SOLAR HOT WATER HEATERS SOOT on OIL FIRED HEATING EQUIPMENT SPILL SWITCHES - Flue Gas Detection SPLIT SYSTEM AIR CONDITIONERS & HEAT PUMPS STACK RELAY SWITCHES STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS TANKLESS COILS Thermal Expansion Cracking of Brick THERMAL EXPANSION of HOT WATER THERMAL EXPANSION of MATERIALS THERMAL IMAGING, THERMOGRAPHY THERMAL IMAGING MOLD SCANS THERMAL MASS in BUILDINGS THERMAL TRACKING & HEAT LOSS THERMOSTATS, HEATING / COOLING Transite Pipe Chimneys & FlueS VIDEO GUIDES: Heating System Videos VIDEO GUIDES - InspectAPedia.com WATER HEATERS WATER HEATER SAFETY WATER HEATERS for HOME HEATING USE? WATER HEATER NOISES WATER HEATER SCALE - De-Liming Procedure WATER HEATER SCALE PREVENTION WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD, COAL STOVES & FIREPLACES WOOD STOVE SAFETY ZONE DAMPERS ZONE VALVES More Information |
Residential heating boiler inspection, installation, diagnosis, &repairs: we describe how to inspect & troubleshoot all types of residential heating systems and we describe just about every common heating system defect or operating problem. The articles listed on the left side of this heating boiler home page describe the components of a home heating system, how to find the rated heating capacity of an heating system by examining various data tags and components, how to recognize common heating system operating or safety defects, and how to save money on home heating costs. We include product safety recall and other heating system hazards. The limitations of visual inspection of heating systems are described. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. Hot water or Steam Boiler Heating System Diagnosis & Repair - where to start?
The article below explains hot water heating boilers (hydronic systems). If your building is heated by steam, see STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS. If you don't know what kind of heat your building uses, we explain how to figure out the answer in more detail at HEATING SYSTEM TYPES. First, determine what type of heating system is installedWarm Air Heating Systems - Furnaces: If the heat in your building is provided by warm air that flows out of ceiling, wall, or floor air supply registers into the occupied space, or if your heating system uses a water-to-air heating system then the air which warms the living space is probably being delivered through large or small diameter ducts, registers, air filters, and a furnace blower, and the air is being heated by a gas, oil, or electric furnace, or perhaps by a heat pump or a geothermal system. See FURNACE CONTROLS & SWITCHES. Hot Water or Steam Heating Systems - Boilers: If the heat in your building is provided by warm or hot metal radiators, heating baseboards containing finned copper tubing, or wall convectors that look like a radiator but contain finned copper tubing, or if heat is provided by flexible rubber, plastic, or metal tubing run in building floors or ceilings, then the warm or hot water circulating in those devices is probably being delivered by piping circulating water heated by a heating boiler, or possibly by a steam boiler or a heat pump or geo-thermal system. See BOILERS, HEATING and RADIANT HEAT Floor Mistakes to Avoid. What's the difference between a heating boiler and a furnace?In general, a "heating boiler" heats the building using hot water. A "furnace" heats a building using hot air or "warm air". Don't confuse the two since their means of making and distributing heat, their controls, and their equipment are mostly different. For a detailed guide to inspecting and maintaining warm air heating systems or furnaces, see FURNACES, HEATING. What's the difference between a hydronic (hot water) boiler and a steam boiler?A "steam boiler" delivers heat to the occupied space in the form of steam: the boiler literally "boils" water and sends steam rising up through steam riser pipes and through steam radiators in the occupied space. If your heating radiators have valves which hiss and let air escape as heat is coming on your heat is probably being delivered in pipes which circulate steam from the steam boiler up through radiators in the occupied space. For a detailed guide to inspecting and maintaining steam heat systems see STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS. How is heating boiler efficiency or economy measured? What does boiler AFUE mean?Each model of heating boiler is assigned an AFUE number. AFUE is an abbreviation for Annual Fuel Utilization Efficiency. In short, the AFUE tells you, for each dollar you spend on energy for heating by gas, oil, or another fuel, just how much of your dollar shows up inside the occupied space of your building as heat. Details are at AFUE DEFINITION, RATINGS What is a Hydronic or "hot water" Heating System?What are we looking at when we're talking about oil-fired hot water heat? It's helpful to form a simple working definition that helps understand the system. An oil-fired forced hot water or "hydronic" heating system is a collection of components which heats a building by heating and then circulating hot water through heat-radiating devices located in the occupied space. A "heating boiler" is a steel, copper, or cast iron "box" of hot water, connected to a loop of pipe (and radiators or baseboards) which runs around through the living area. The same physical water stays in the boiler and is circulated by a pump so that heat is delivered to the living area. Burning oil makes hot gases which are used to heat the water before being exhausted outside. Pumps move fluids through the system. Safety controls of various types are installed at various points protect against a number of potential hazards. How does a Heating Boiler Work?We discuss how heating boilers work in step-by-step detail at BOILER OPERATION DETAILS How to Inspect a Heating System using Physical Location of ComponentsThis approach broadens the scope of the heating system inspection and it may aid in heating system defect recognition or problem diagnosis, for example by observing that a heating boiler is located in a small, air-tight room (possible combustion air problems), or that the furnace is quite close to the oil storage tank. Below we give the basics of heating system inspection using the physical location "map" of components to assure completeness. See full details of heating system inspection procedures provided at HEATING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR
Continue with Hydronic Heating Diagnosis & RepairIf you have no heat, see HEATING LOSS DIAGNOSIS-BOILERS You can also continue your heating boiler diagnostic procedures with the articles at Related Topics headed under BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES. If your heating system is fired by an oil burner, you can go directly to those diagnostics at OIL BURNER INSPECTION & REPAIR. Gas burners are discussed at GAS BURNER Flame & Noise Defects. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about hot water heating system inspection, installation, troubleshooting, repairsQuestion: does my Burnham residential boiler require annual service?Does my Burnham residential boiler need annual service. It worked fine last season. - Dick 9/19/11 Reply: yesYes, Dick, there is no Santa Claus; your heating boiler needs annual service not only to assure safe, reliable operation, but because without an annual cleaning, particularly for oil fired heating boilers, my experience is that the cost of operating the equipment will be significantly greater - the improvement in operating efficiency of an oil fired heating boiler following annual cleaning and adjustment can be significant - I've seen a 33% reduction in operating cost following cleaning and adjusting a dirty oil fired boiler or furnace. Question: Boiler trips circuit breaker - intermittent failure of boiler to turn onI have a 3 year old Peerless WV-DV boiler, 1 zone (thermostat), 2 circulator pumps, no valves, serviced annually. This year when turning thermostat up the boiler refused to come on. The 20 amp circuit breaker had tripped. It wouldn't reset, kept tripping immediately. I turned the power switch off at the boiler, reset the breaker, turned the power back on at boiler, turned thermostat up and boiler came on normally. I then, over the course of an hour, turned thermostat up and down, each time boiler shut off and came back on normally. Then is got warm here for a few days, didn't use. When it got cold again, same problem, I had to turn off power at boiler, reset breaker, turn power back on at boiler, then boiler works. I also replaced the breaker in case that was a problem. So what is the issue here? Any help would be appreciated. - Scott Moberg 10/14/11 Reply:Scott: Question: hot water recirculating loop is not maintaining temperaturehaving a problem with a hot water recirculating loop from boiler to storage tank with tempering valve to building. not able to maintain proper temp. any ideas? - Vivek 10.26/11 Reply:Vivek, Question: how do I figure out the age of my heating boiler or furnace?Would like to know the age of a National U.S. Radiator boiler, Boiler # 109-5. It is a five section boiler, with Crane forged into the sections. Only can see the two end section numbers, F10900201 and F10900301. Just curious, thanks for any help. - Gary Forbes 11/5/11 Reply:Gary, see AGE of HEATERS, BOILERS, FURNACES (article links listed at Related Topics ) for tables, charts, and links to books that give means to decode the age of heating and cooling equipment using the model and serial number. Question: no heat on upper floor, no air bleeder valvesits just the upper floor and i don't have bleeder valves at the base board the expansion tank at the boiler is hard to tell how full it is - Luke 11/10/11 Reply:Luke, at AIRBOUND HEAT SYSTEM REPAIRS we describe a variety of ways to get air out of an air-bound hot water heating system. Question: books on troubleshooting residential heating boilersare there any books on troubleshooting residential boilers & how to wire them - Kevin 1/12/12 Reply:Kevin, at References, related articles we list a variety of books on heating system installation & troubleshooting; when I was servicing heating systems, in addition to attending trade school for absolutely-required practical knowledge and theory, I found too that quite a few manufacturers gave away free booklets and pamphlets with excellent detail about their equipment. And don't forget to check the installation and service manual for the specific equipment you are examining. Question: How do you add antifreeze to a boiler? What kind of antifreeze do we use in a boiler? How much do you add?
Reply:Don, some help on winterizing a boiler as well as a whole building is at Winterize- Heat Off Procedure. The basic procedure is to use a pony pump (a transfer pump - see PUMPS, PONY PUMPS) to add antifreeze (buy at your local heating supplier) to the water mix in the boiler until our test gauge shows that we've got enough antifreeze in the system to protect down to at least a bit below the lowest expected temperature. The service tech uses a pony pump connected to a boiler drain or zone drain valve, typically using a pair of washing machine hoses to form a loop between a boiler drain, a bucked of antifreeze & water mix, and a zone drain. The pump pushes antifreeze into the system from the bucket; keeping the drain end of the second hose below the level of antifreeze in the bucket avoids introducing air into the system and thus avoids having to bleed that air out. Complete details about how to add anti-freeze to a hot water heating boiler and system are found at ANTIFREEZE for BOILERS where we explain what kind of anti-freeze to use, how much to add, how to get it into the system, and what are the effects of antifreeze on heat transfer and heating system operation and costs. Question: How to diagnose gurgling sound coming from boiler and radiant heat tubingI have radiated heat at night tub gurgles and boiler makes noise - Jeff 10/8/12 Reply:Jeff, gurgling in hot water heating lines is often due to air in the piping. Check for a leak and for an air purging device that is not working. ... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaQuestions & answers or comments about heating boilers: inspection, diagnosis, repair, efficiency, tuning & maintenance Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesRelated Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
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