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This document presents the indoor steps for inspecting residential heating systems with focus on heating boilers and furnaces, on assuring completeness, accuracy, and on maximum heating system defect detection. The heating system inspection methodology involved is intended to be generalized to the forensic diagnostic inspection of any complex system in order to have the highest probability of detecting important safety or operating defects.

This sounds fancier than intended. Our object is to use an organized procedure for inspecting for defects, without losing the ability to discover unexpected problems as well.

The methodology discussed includes both details specific to heating boilers (the full outline at "Contents") and more general complex-system inspection methods (listed immediately below).

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© Copyright Daniel Friedman 2008-1993 all rights reserved -- Tri-State ASHI Seminar -- Last update 08/03/2010 - first presentation November 6-7, 1993

Inside heating system Observations

Viewpoint #2--Distant view of the heating equipment from the living area.

Heating Inspection Procedures When In the Living Area

Type of Heat Distribution
ASHI 9.1.A.7 the presence of an installed heat source in each room. ASHI 9.3.D.4 The inspector is not required to observe the uniformity of heat supply to various rooms.

• Air registers: hot-air furnace. Begin looking for supply and return grilles. Identification tip: return grilles often have no controlling louvers and may be centrally located. Distribution problems are not discussed in this presentation. See DUCT SYSTEMS
• Baseboards - electric or hot water.
• Radiators - hot water or steam. Steam: observe steam valves on each radiator and identify one pipe vs two-pipe distribution system.
• Nothing visible: is there electric or hot water radiant heat. Watch for multiple types of heat supply: e.g.: baseboards, with electric heaters in bathrooms.

Heating Inspection Procedures When In the Utility Area

Viewpoint #3--Distant broad view of the heating equipment from the utility room. The equipment is directly in view but not yet closely examined.
ASHI 9.1.A. The Inspector shall observe permanently installed heating systems including: [items are listed later]
ASHI 9.2.A.2 The inspector shall describe heating equipment and distribution type

1. Identify/confirm type of equipment
2. Housekeeping, location of combustibles
3. Air supply - see Combustion Air
4. Sooty operation, odors, noises
5. Evidence of recent maintenance
6. Service tags vs filth atop the equipment or in the chimney was it really serviced?

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HEATING SYSTEM INSPECT DIAGNOSE REPAIR
  HEATING INSPECTION CONCEPTS
  HEATING INSPECTION PROCEDURE-GENERAL
HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION DETAILS
  PREPARATION for Heating System Inspection
  ATTENTION CONTROL During Heating Inspection
  OUTDOOR INSPECTION of HEATING SYSTEM
  INDOOR INSPECTION of HEATING SYSTEM
  HEATING BOILER INSPECTION GUIDE
    HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION SEQUENCE
    INSPECT HEATING CONTROLS
    INSPECT FOR HEATING BOILER LEAKS
    HEATING SYSTEM DEFECT SIGNIFICANCE
  ALTERNATE HEATING INSPECTION SEQUENCE
  FUNCTIONAL UNDERSTANDING of HEATERS
  HEATING FURNACE INSPECTION GUIDE
  FINAL BOILER ROOM INSPECTION CHECKS
  OIL BURNER INSPECTION GUIDE
  OPERATE THE HEATING SYSTEM
  HEATER OPERATING DEFECTS REPORT
  IMPLICATIONS OF HEATING CLUES
  FINAL HEATER INSPECTION REVIEW
  SET HEATING REPAIR PRIORITIES

• Information on Hydronic (hot water) Heating Boilers:
  • 
    BOILERS, HEATING
    BOILER CONTROLS & SWITCHES
    BOILER LEAKS CORROSION STAINS
    BOILER OPERATING PROBLEMS
• Information on Steam Heating Boilers & Steam Radiators
  • 
    STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS
      Low Water Cutoff Valves, Boilers
      Sight Glass, Steam Boiler
      Pressure & Temperature Settings, Controls
      Pressure Switch, Steam Boiler
      Steam Pressure Gauge
      Steam Vents
      LOW WATER CUTOFF CONTROLS
      Water Feeder Valves, Steam
• Information on warm air furnace heaters
  • 
    FURNACES, HEATING
    FURNACE CONTROLS & SWITCHES
    
    DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS
    DUCT SYSTEM DEFECTS
• Information on Radiant Heating: RADIANT HEAT Floor Mistakes to Avoid
• Information on Electric Heat: ELECTRIC HEAT
• Information on chimneys flues, vents, combustion air
  • CHIMNEY INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
    CHIMNEYS & Flues - Asbestos Transite Pipe
    DRAFT HOODS - gas fired
    DRAFT REGULATORS, DAMPERS, BOOSTERS
    FLUE VENT CONNECTORS
• Information on Heat Pumps - HEAT PUMPS

Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair

• Our recommended books about building & mechanical systems design, inspection, problem diagnosis, and repair, and about indoor environment and IAQ testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore. Also see our Book Reviews - InspectAPedia.

• Carbon Monoxide Gas Toxicity, exposure limits, poisoning symptoms, and inspecting buildings for CO hazards
• DUST CONTAMINATION FROM HVAC? An Investigation of Indoor Dust Debris Blamed on a Heating/Cooling System Reveals Carpet Dust
• Fuel Oil & Oil Heating Magazine, 3621 Hill Rd., Parsippany, NJ 07054, 973-331-9545
• Goodman Furnace High Temperature Plastic Vent HTPV safety recall US CPSC notice
• Home Heating System Should Be Checked [for proper venting and for CO Carbon Monoxide Hazards - DJF]
• Inspection Procedures for Oil-Fired Heating Systems Detailed step by step approaches for inspecting complex systems]
• Lennox Pulse Furnace Safety Inspection/Warranty Program: Carbon Monoxide Warning
• Oil Tanks - The Oil Storage Tank Information Website: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks
• Oil Tanks Above Ground, UL Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
• Plastic Heating Vent Pipe & Other Heating Safety Recall Notices
• Weil McLain Model GV Gas Boiler/gas valve CPSC recall/repair
• Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
• National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
• The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
• Principles of Steam Heating, $13.25 includes postage. Fuel oil & Oil Heat Magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004.
• The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
• Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
• "Residential Steam Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
• "Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
• "Warm Air Heating Systems". Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
• Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
• Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
• Installation Guide for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems
• Installation Guide #200, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
• The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)
• Links to our list of additional information on heating system inspection, repair, maintenance
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