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Alternative Inspection Sequences for Heating Systems InspectAPedia®  -     How to Inspect Heating Systems - as An Approach to the Forensic Inspection of Any Complex System Search InspectAPedia Step by Step Guide to inspection of heating boilers & furnaces for operating & safety defects Heating system step by step detailed inspection procedure How to understand & report the significance of findings during a heating system inspection

This document presents alternative sequences & methods 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). © Copyright 2009 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use links at the left of each page to navigate this document or to view other topics at this website. Green links show where you are in our document or website.

© Copyright Daniel Friedman 2008-1993 all rights reserved -- Tri-State ASHI Seminar -- Last update 05/25/2009 - first presentation November 6-7, 1993

Alternative Heating System Operating & Inspection Sequences

Eg: immediate burner on when the thermostat is turned-on from the living area.

Different Heating System Controls, more costly:

• Air vents at radiators, RADIATORS and Air-bound radiators, baseboards, boilers
• Pressure switch at boiler, typically set to .2 to .5 psi
• Lower-pressure relief valve
• Water feeder, manual or automatic. (Don't mess with either, they may open and be hard to shut off.)
• Low Water Cutoff on some systems. (Also found on some hydronic boilers.)
• Different piping on some systems - one-pipe vs two-pipe, easy to identify and very different implications for retrofit/conversion to other heating methods such as hot water.
• Immediately recognized from the living area by presence of steam valves on radiators. Don't confuse steam valve with air bleeder valves found on hot water radiators.
• Steam rises--hence no circulator pump - if you see a pump is it a separate HW zone? is it a condensate return pump?

Example of understanding function=understanding implications

Absence of any sign that the occupants ever drain and clean the automatic water feeder suggests risk of inoperative key safety device. Needs attention even if you see absolutely no problems. Modified piping? improperly sloped radiators?

Furnaces - Hot Air Heating System Inspection

• A simpler, operating sequence
• Different controls-- blower, fan/limit sw.
• Working Definition: A furnace is a steel or cast iron "box" connected to a series of duct work which runs through the house bringing hot air to grilles (registers). A fan, usually at the furnace, circulates air from cold-air return grilles through duct work to the furnace where the air is heated and then returned through "supply ducts" to the living area.
• Room cools, thermostat switch closes (calls for heat), oil burner is turned on, oil is pumped from tank to burner, ignited, burned,
• Hot gases pass through a fire chamber (steel can) and out an exhaust flue, past a barometric damper to a chimney to outdoors.
• ASHI 9.2.C. The inspector shall open readily open-able access panels provided by the manufacturer or installer for routine homeowner maintenance
• Understanding functions=understanding implications: eg: wet basement, steel furnace, high CO risks from rusted heat exchanger.

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HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION DIAGNOSIS REPAIR
  HEATING INSPECTION CONCEPTS
  HEATING INSPECTION PROCEDURE-GENERAL
DETAILED HEATING SYSTEM INSPECTION PROCEDURE
  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 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 SYSTEMS
    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 design, inspection, and repair, and about indoor environment testing, diagnosis, and cleanup are at the InspectAPedia Bookstore.
• ...

More Information on Building Diagnostic Inspections and Repairs

• Carbon Dioxide Gas Toxicity
• Carbon Monoxide Gas Toxicity, exposure limits, poisoning symptoms, and inspecting buildings for CO hazards
• Dust from HVAC? An Investigation of Indoor Dust Debris Blamed on a Heating/Cooling System Reveals Carpet Dust
• 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 and
• 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.)

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