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Heating System Inspect, Diagnose, Repair
How to inspect, install, & troubleshoot or maintain building heating systems
- HEATING SYSTEMS - home. How to inspect, diagnose & repair a heating system furnace, boiler, electric heat, heat pump, or other heating equipment
- See complete article list at Related Topics & key Related Topics listed just below.
- Questions & answers about heating systems: how to inspect, diagnose, & repair heaters , determine heating capacity, recognize unsafe conditions, and how to reduce heating costs.
- HEATING EQUIPMENT, FLOOD DAMAGE REPAIR - separate article
- References
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InspectAPedia tolerates no conflicts of interest. We have no relationship with advertisers, products, or services discussed at this website.
How to inspect, diagnose & repair residential heating systems: these heating system articles answer questions about all types of building heating systems and describe how to inspect, diagnose, and repair heating system problems, how to cut heating bills, and heating system safety, heating system efficiency and heating trouble-shooting advice.
Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman.
Heating System Inspection Methods, Diagnosis, Safety, Repairs
 In these heating system articles we explain how to inspect and detect all defects and hazards on heating systems, boilers, furnaces, and other equipment. Methods for saving on heating cost and on improving heating safety are included.
Heating safety hazards such as carbon monoxide gas leaks, unsafe furnaces, furnace and boiler recalls are addressed.
Our page top photo illustrates an oil fired hot water heating boiler. The sketch at above left illustrates basic parts of a conventional gas fired warm air heating furnace; image courtesy of Carson Dunlop Associates.
The heating system inspection, diagnosis and repair articles listed at page top or at Related Topics and described below give the components of a heating system, describe
how to find the rated heating capacity of an heating system by examining various data tags and components, explain how to recognize common heating system operating or safety defects, and illustrate how to save money on home heating costs.
We include product safety recall and other heating system hazards.
Potentially very costly environmental hazards such as leaky oil tanks are explained in depth. Other environmental and indoor air quality topics affected by residential and light commercial heating systems are explored.
How to Inspect Heating Systems
 Building HVAC (Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning) have three tasks: control indoor temperature and humidity at comfortable levels, provide adequate fresh air from outdoors, and the removal of indoor air odors and pollutants by a combination of air pressure control, filtration, and exhaust ventilation systems.
But not all HVAC systems are designed to perform all three of these jobs, and in typical residential buildings separate, and un-coordinated systems may be installed to heat, ventilate, and perhaps cool the building interior.
Start a heating system inspection with basic "distant" visual observations
A proper heating system inspection begins outside with taking notice of the chimneys, flues, and vents, and for the type and location of heating equipment fuel that is used: oil tanks, LP gas, piped in natural gas, solar, etc.
Similarly, inside, before attempting a close inspection of the heating equipment itself, take not of and record defects in the heating distribution system (is there even heat present in every room?), and in the location of the heating equipment: is the boiler in a closet where it lacks combustion air, fire clearances etc. What about the oil burner shown at left - observed during a mobile home inspection (MOBILE HOME HEATING)? From just opening the bathroom sink vanity we see that an oil burner has been shoe-horned into a space where it does not belong, is unsafe, and is extremely difficult to access and service properly.
Watch out: From the moment of observing work such as the system shown in our photo, the inspector, owner, or heating service technician needs to be on red alert for amateur, unsafe workmanship.
Below and at the links listed at Related Topics we provide articles on just about any question you might have about installing, inspecting, troubleshooting, & repairing residential heating systems. Use the Website Search box at page top or the Comments Box at the end of each InspectApedia article to contact us if you cannot find information you need.
For a step by step procedure that can be used to inspect the condition of a heating system see: Heating System Inspection & Repair Procedures for Oil-Fired Heating Boilers and Furnaces where we suggest detailed step by step approaches for inspecting complex systems - a free, online, detailed heating system inspection course
Heating System Inspection & Diagnosis Detailed Articles & Education Curriculum Suggestions
- See links at page left for complete index to online articles on heating system inspection, diagnosis, repair
- Defect Lists & Education Curriculum suggestions for heating system inspection, troubleshooting, repair
- Air Duct Systems for Heating & Cooling - duct defects, inspections, repairs, duct cleaning, flooded ducts, leaky air ducts, moldy duct systems, indoor air quality
- Air noises in hot water heating systems, or air-bound no-heat problems - see AIRBOUND HEAT SYSTEM REPAIRS and for equipment details see Air Bleeder Valves and Air Scoops Purgers Separators.
- Asbestos Paper Duct Insulation
- Blower Fan AUTO ON controls for air conditioning or heating blower fan units
- BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING: problems with the blower fan on furnaces, heat pumps, and air conditioners
- BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLAMES - the Blueray history and blue flame vs. yellow flame combustion, flame color & combustion efficiency, & how oil competes with gas as a heating fuel.
- Blueray Heating Boilers/Furnaces Safety Recall by the US CPSC, with additional history, photos, and technical details; Blue Flame Blue Ray
- Boiler chemicals, steam and hydronic boiler water treatment chemicals. Also see Carbonic acid [below in this list]
- Boiler Controls & Switches: a description of heating boiler controls and switches, what they do, how to set them, what problems to watch for
- Boiler Leaks, Corrosion, Stains: where to look for leaks on heating boilers, which leaks are important, dangerous, costly, & what to do about leaks at a heating boiler
- Boilers, Heating Inspection, Diagnosis, Repair - controls, diagnosis, inspection, repair, service of hot water heating systems
- BOILER LEAKS CORROSION STAINS - how to diagnose & evaluate leaks on or in heating boilers
- BOILER LEAKS, HOW TO LOCATE - how to determine that a boiler or hot water system is leaking and how to find hidden leaks
- Boiler Operation Details, 39 steps in how a heating boiler works
- Boiler Operating Problem Diagnosis examples of defects on hot water heating boiler systems and how to recognize them
- Carbon Dioxide Gas Toxicity
- Carbon Monoxide Gas Toxicity, exposure limits, building inspection for CO hazards
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Warning - Chimney Safety: US CPSC safety warning [Home Heating System Should Be Checked for proper venting and for CO Carbon Monoxide Hazards - clarifying notes by DJF]
- Carbonic acid (H2CO3) build-up in hot water heating systems can occur in areas where the pH of your boiler water is below 8.5 or where other heating system malfunctions cause this inorganic corrosive acid to accumulate in hot water piping. High carbonic acid, like excessive oxygen levels in heating water, can lead to hot water piping leaks, water damage, and loss of heat in the building. In a steam heating system, condensing steam dissolves carbon dioxide (CO2) to form carbonic acid that in turn corrodes piping. Ask your heating technician if your boiler water needs treatment or if your system needs additional venting equipment to remove excessive gases from the heating water. Treatment chemicals for acidic boiler water may include lime and soda ash (COH), phosphate, chelates, oxygen scavengers, neutralizing amines, or filming amines, all designed to protect the heating system boiler and piping from acidic corrosion. Details: see Boiler Chemicals 101 provided by NCDENR. Also see Boiler chemicals, steam and hydronic boiler water treatment chemicals.
- .Chimneys & Flues - Asbestos Transite Pipe - chimney movement, chimney cracks, chimney safety inspection, chimney cleaning, draft problem diagnosis & repair
- Chimney Inspection Checklist - detailed articles on a wide variety of chimney safety and functional defects
- CHINESE DRYWALL HAZARDS - corrosion risks to HVAC condensing and cooling or heating coils, possible corrosion risks to HVAC metal ductwork from corrosive gases produced by Chinese drywall.
- See COMBUSTION AIR for additional details about the requirement for combustion air. COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT buildings explains how to provide outside combustion air for tight buildings. See COMBUSTION GASES & PARTICLE HAZARDS for an explanation of the dangers of inadequate combustion air. See COMBUSTION PRODUCTS & IAQ for the relationship between fuel burning appliances and building indoor air quality. More about carbon monoxide - CO - is at CARBON MONOXIDE - CO and at CARBON MONOXIDE WARNING.
- CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES - guide to
- CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES DAMAGE - review of damage to heat exchangers or flues caused by condensation & corrosi9on in high-efficiency furnaces and boilers; what about older heating equipment and duty cycle condensation?
- STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS, how to diagnose stains on walls, floors, carpets, and how to determine the stain source
- DUCT SYSTEMS - air leaks, unsafe ductwork, inadequate supply or return air, other defects
- DUCT & AIR HANDLER ODORS - how to find and cure smelly duct work or air handlers
- Ducts - Asbestos Transite Pipe
- DUST, HVAC CONTAMINATION STUDY An Investigation of Indoor Dust Debris Blamed on a Heating/Cooling System Reveals Carpet Dust
- ELECTRICAL POWER SWITCH FOR HEAT - is your heat not working just because someone left off a power switch?
- ELECTRIC HEAT installation, diagnosis, repair guide for baseboard heat, electric furnaces, electric boilers, etc.
- ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE - diagnostic procedures for electric motors used on oil burners, air handler blower assemblies and fans, air conditioners, heat pumps, well pumps, etc.
- ENERGY SAVINGS in buildings - complete list of options to make buildings energy efficient
- ENERGY SAVINGS RETROFIT OPTIONS - details on how to retrofit older buildings to significantly reduce heating and cooling costs
- Fan AUTO ON controls for air conditioning or heating blower fan units
- FAN, AIR HANDLER BLOWER UNIT - diagnose and fix problems with the indoor furnace or air conditioner blower unit fan and fan motor
- FAN, COMPRESSOR/CONDENSER UNIT - diagnose and fix problems with the outdoor compressor/condenser fan and fan motor
- FAN CONVECTOR HEATERS - HYDRONIC COILS - hot water to air heat for backup heat, water to air heat, cold spots, basements, crawl spaces, kickspace heaters, under counter heaters, and freezeproofing buildings
- FAN LIMIT SWITCH control on heating furnaces
- Fire dampers, and Heating and Cooling Air Duct Controls such as manual and automatic duct dampers, zone dampers, and fire dampers are discussed and distinguished at DRAFT REGULATORS - barometric damper
- FIRE SAFETY CONTROLS - safety controls on heating systems
- FUEL UNIT, HEATING OIL PUMPS - details about the types, installation, and inspection of heating oil fuel units or "oil pumps" used on heating boilers, furnaces, water heaters, and other equipment.
- FURNACES, HEATING - and FURNACE CONTROLS & SWITCHES describe the controls, diagnosis, inspection, repair, service of warm air heating systems
- Goodman Furnace High Temperature Plastic Vent HTPV safety recall US CPSC notice
 Heating Fuel Costs Compared: A Comparison of Current Energy Costs: Heating Oil, Natural Gas, Firewood for a table comparing the cost per BTU of different heating fuels.- Hard water: if your heating system water supply is too high in mineral content, minerals may form scale that prevents heat transfer, increases heating cost, and damages the heating boiler or piping, even leading to clogging.
- FURNACE HEAT EXCHANGER LEAKS describes how to test for unsafe warm air furnace heat exchangers - tests and procedures to detect dangerous leakage of flue gases and possibly carbon monoxide into building interiors
- HEAT PUMPS - diagnosis & repair articles specifically for heat pumps
- HEAT PUMP STRATEGY - Indoors? - locating a heat pump or heat pump water heater indoors in a sunspace to scavenge heat
- HEAT WON'T TURN ON - how to get the building heating system to turn on
- Heat Won't Turn Off - Stop Unwanted Heat . how to be sure the heat is completely "off" when it is not wanted or needed
- Hydrogen sulfide in heating water: causes corrosion in the heating system. High sulphur levels or H2S are typically removed by treating the incoming boiler water (and building water supply) with chlorination or filtration.
- Iron in heating water: excessive iron in heating boilers causes deposits that can clog the system and lead to higher heating costs or even loss of heat or unsafe heating controls such as a clogged LOW WATER CUTOFF VALVE switch.
- Radiant Heat Floor Mistakes to Avoid - don't let these foolish installation errors ruin your radiant heat floor system
- Heating Cost Reduction Advice: How to Save on Home Heating Costs - Book Review & Actual Heating Savings and Energy Savings Tips for homeowners and service technicians
- HEATING SMALL LOADS - special advice for energy efficient home heating systems & heating system design to warm small areas
- Heating System Inspection & Repair Procedures for Oil-Fired Heating Boilers and Furnaces Detailed step by step approaches for inspecting complex systems]
- HEATING SYSTEM NOISES
- Heating Loss Diagnosis: How to diagnose loss of heat, when the oil burner, boiler, or furnace won't run, or when the system runs but heat is not delivered to the living area
- Home Inspection Report Language Library: Gas Fuel Piping or Tank Faults Basic advice - home inspection report language suggestions
- Home Inspection Report Language Library: Buried Oil Tanks, Basic home buyer advice - home inspection report language suggestions
- Home Inspection Report Language Library: Defects in Oil Tank Installations, Tanks, and Heating Oil Piping
- Hot Water Systems - Tankless Coils - on hydronic or steam boilers for making domestic hot water
- How to Calculate Heat Loss in a Building
- HVAC SYSTEM TYPES - table of types of heating systems with links to further information about each
- Lennox Pulse Furnace Safety Inspection/Warranty Program: Carbon Monoxide Warning
- MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC - where to download heating, air conditioning, water heater, and other equipment installation and service manuals and users guides - free.
- NOISE / SOUND DIAGNOSIS & CURE includes a discussion of noises related to heating equipment
- NO HEAT - Boiler & Furnace Diagnosis Guide - where to start in figuring out why the heating system is not working
- OIL BURNERS - complete guide to
- OIL BURNER INSPECTION & REPAIR - visual inspection can identify signs of trouble, causes, cures, even before more technical oil burner testing
- OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS and also OIL BURNER SOOT & PUFFBACKS explain how to diagnose oil burner noises, smoke, odors, sooting, and which conditions are potentially dangerous, requiring prompt service or repair
- Odors From Heating Systems - a list of articles addressing the sources of odors produced by various types of heating systems - how to find, diagnose, and correct these possibly dangerous conditions.
- OIL LINE SAFETY VALVES discuss fire safety valves that have a fusible link to prevent feeding heating oil to a building fire; these valves are also often used as oil piping shutoff valves for oil burner service.
- Oil Tanks - The Oil Storage Tank Information Website: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks
- OIL TANK GAUGES - how to find, test, and read the gauge on a heating oil tank
- Oil Tanks Above Ground, UL Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
- RADIANT BARRIERS - do they work, where to put them, how much energy do they save for cooling vs. heating needs?
- RADIANT HEAT - strategy for using radiant heat in buildings
- Radiant Heat Floor Mistakes to Avoid - don't let these foolish installation errors ruin your radiant heat floor system
- RADIANT SLAB TUBING & FLUID CHOICES - types of plastic tubing for radiant heated slabs; types of heat conducting fluids
- Plastic Heating Vent Pipe & Other Heating Safety Recall Notices
- Safety During Heating Inspections guide and tips
- Safety Recalls, Chimneys, Vents, Heaters
BLUE vs YELLOW COMBUSTION FLAMES
BLUERAY Recall
CHIMNEYS & Flues - Asbestos Transite
Goodman HTPV RECALL
Heat Recovery Ventilator RECALL
Lennox Furnace Manuals
Lennox SAFETY WARNING
PLASTIC Plexvent / Ultravent RECALL US Consumer Product Safety Commission notices, contact information, claims
Weil McLain RECALL
- Silica in heating water: high silica levels in heating boilers increases scale formation and increases heating cost or damaging the equipment. Water softening equipment or other treatment equipment is typically installed to address high silica in water.
- SLAB DUCTWORK - catalogs the functional and environmental problems found when HVAC air ducts are routed in or below floor slabs
- SLAB INSULATION, PASSIVE SOLAR - how much insulation, where to put it, and where to put the vapor barrier below a heated floor slab
- SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS renewable energy design and equipment for electrical, heating, and hot water; building designs for energy efficiency and reduction of heating and cooling costs.
- SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
- SOLAR HOT WATER HEATERS
- SOOT on OIL FIRED HEATING EQUIPMENT discusses sooty on or inside oil fired heating equipment and its effect on heating costs and heater operating problems. Also see OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS.
- STAIN DIAGNOSIS on BUILDING INTERIORS, how to diagnose stains on walls, floors, carpets, and how to determine the stain source
- Steam Heating Systems - care & maintenance, controls, diagnosis, & repair, safety devices
- Thermal Tracking & Stains & Signs of Heat Loss how to recognize thermal tracking or thermal bridging & how to diagnose Stains on Ceilings & Walls, Building Air Leaks & Insulation Defects, as well as other indoor air quality or building concerns
- Transite Pipes, Chimneys & Flues - Safety Hazards of deteriorated or blocked asbestos transite chimneys
- Water Feeder Valves automatic water makeup valves for hydronic boilers and steam boilers
- WATER HEATERS for HOME HEATING USE? - is this an efficient way to heat your home? what is the impact on heater warranty & life?
- Weil McLain Model GV Gas Boiler/gas valve CPSC recall/repair
How to Reduce Home Heating Costs
- Air Duct Systems for Heating & Cooling - Make sure your warm air ducts are properly installed, not crimped, leaky, missing insulation, or contaminated.
- COMBUSTION AIR for TIGHT buildings explains how to provide outside combustion air for tight buildings.
- Heating Fuel Costs Compared: A Comparison of Current Energy Costs: Heating Oil, Natural Gas, Firewood for a table comparing the cost per BTU of different heating fuels.
- HEAT PUMP STRATEGY - Indoors? - locating a heat pump or heat pump water heater indoors in a sunspace to scavenge heat
- Heat Won't Turn Off - Stop Unwanted Heat . how to be sure the heat is completely "off" when it is not wanted or needed
- Radiant Heat Floor Mistakes to Avoid - don't let these foolish installation errors ruin your radiant heat floor system
- Heating Cost Reduction Advice: How to Save on Home Heating Costs - Book Review & Actual Heating Savings and Energy Savings Tips for homeowners and service technicians, gas & oil heat money saving tips, thermostat tips, tuneup tips.
- Heating System Inspection & Repair Procedures for Oil-Fired Heating Boilers and Furnaces Detailed step by step approaches for inspecting, servicing, repairing, and tuning up heating systems for economical performance
- Heating Loss Diagnosis: How to diagnose loss of heat, when the oil burner, boiler, or furnace won't run, or when the system runs but heat is not delivered to the living area
- How to Calculate Heat Loss in a Building - guide to calculating the rate of heat loss for different areas, insulation, materials
- NO HEAT - Boiler & Furnace Diagnosis Guide - where to start in figuring out why the heating system is not working
- Radiant Heat Floor Mistakes to Avoid - don't let these foolish installation errors ruin your radiant heat floor system
- SOLAR ENERGY SYSTEMS renewable energy design and equipment for electrical, heating, and hot water; building designs for energy efficiency and reduction of heating and cooling costs.
- SOLAR HEATING SYSTEMS
- SOLAR HOT WATER HEATERS
- SOOT on OIL FIRED HEATING EQUIPMENT discusses sooty on or inside oil fired heating equipment and its effect on heating costs and heater operating problems. Also see OIL BURNER NOISE SMOKE ODORS.
- Thermal Tracking & Stains & Signs of Heat Loss how to recognize thermal tracking or thermal bridging & how to diagnose Stains on Ceilings & Walls, Building Air Leaks & Insulation Defects, as well as other indoor air quality or building concerns
Critical Defects in Heating Systems
Critical defects which an inspector should not fail to detect when examining any building component or system
are defects which form an immediate, significant safety hazard or defects which are quite likely to involve
significant repair or replacement cost, and which involve components or systems which are necessary to occupy
and use the building. Methods for detection and diagnosis of these defects are discussed in this document
and in its references. Suggestions for inclusion or exclusion of items in this list are invited - see the
link "Contact Us".
 Because the heating system inspection and related topics discussed here cover a rather broad range, I have not attempted (yet) to list specific critical defects on this summary page. However any inspection of the condition of heating equipment in buildings must include careful attention to:
- Life Safety Hazards such as evidence of unsafe chimneys, missing or damaged safety devices (relief valves, emergency shutoffs), and visual evidence of dangerous overheating or leaks.
Responsibly conducted, an inspection of a gas-fired furnace, for example, might discover that the furnace has been exposed to severe rust-producing conditions which risk an unsafe heat exchanger and a carbon monoxide hazard which could be fatal to building occupants.
Even though the heat exchanger may not be visible, the contextual clues around the furnace, if they are visually obvious, should be translated into a level of concern by the inspector, and where appropriate, translated into a recommendation for action. This does not mean "failing" every furnace to be on the "safe side", it means responsible inspecting and reporting.
- Costly defects such as evidence of a heating system at or near the end of its life of safe, reliable operation, or evidence of a buried oil tank which is likely to be old and for which there is no record of leak testing, should be reported.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about heating system installation, problem diagnosis or troubleshooting, and repair
Question: I'm trying to find how to determine the age of my Lennox gas furnace
I am trying to find the age of my Lennox gas, gravity fed air, furnace model GN1-105C which the only thing I've had to do to it besides cleaning is change the thermo-couple in the last 40 years
Reply:
Jack, please see our article "How to Determine the Age & Life Expectancy of Heating Boilers & Furnaces" at AGE of HEATERS, BOILERS, FURNACES where we explain the decoding heating and cooling equipment data tags to learn the date of manufacture of the device. That article also refers you to some texts, including one free and visible here at InspectAPedia that offer more model/serial number decoding to see the equipment age.
Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
InspectApedia has no financial connection with the sale of this book.
Question:
hi,like to know what is normal pressure range of two gauges pressure reading in heatpump running in heat mode?and is that right,when heatpump run in heat mode,the compound gauge turn in to high head pressure gauge?thanks - Jason 9/30/11
Reply:
Jason, if you click on the AIR CONDITIONING link at page top you'll then find at Related Topics articles on refrigerant pressures that will answer your question.
Question: how do I identify the wall heater in my apartment?
I was wondering if I could find out what type of wall heater is in my apartment I only have the Cat no FC257, Watts 2509/1875, Volts 240. I can't make out anything else and the landlord had someone glue knobs on the heaters so I can not take the covers off I need to know if they have ever been recalled.- Kim Amundsen 11/5/11
Reply:
Kim: If you like, send us some sharp photos of the heater and its data tags and I may be able to advise. Use the CONTACT link for direct email.
Question: Books & resources for heating boiler troubleshooting
Is there a book on troubleshooting residential heating boilers? Kevin 1/5/2012
Reply:
Sure Kevin. In addition to the free "Diagnose ..." boiler troubleshooting & repair articles we provide (see links at page top & page left) see books listed below at the end of this article. Also we welcome specific questions and are glad to research if needed.
Question: My heating unit is running on emergency heat for the whole winter - my electric bill is too big
my problem is my heating unit have been running on emergency heat for the hole winter period and my light bill is outregious. I've had repair man come to my house and they tell me that my unit has to be run on that emergency heat because i live in a town house. What should i do im going to go broke just because my light bill is like $300 dollars. HELP!!! - Hector Toledo 2/24/2012
Reply:
Hector the statement that you need to run your heater on "emergency heat" because you live in a townhouse makes no sense to me at all.
Perhaps the heating service tech just didn't give a clear explanation of what's wrong. I infer from your question that your heat is supposed to be provided by a heat pump that also provides air conditioning in hot weather.
Emergency "backup" heat in such systems is there to handle cases of unusually cold outdoor temperatures - below a certain temperature the heat pump may be unable to provide enough heat for the building and the backup heat kicks in. But in all other conditions you should not be running on "emergency" or "backup" heat.
So if I've got the right picture, something is wrong with the heating system. See if you can get some details and let us know what you are told.
...
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Technical Reviewers & References
Related Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
- Audels Oil Burner Guide, Installing, Servicing, Repairing, Frank D. Graham, Theo. Audel & Co., New York 1946, 1947, 1955 (out of print, copies occasionally available from antique book dealers and on EBay)
- Boiler Chemicals 101, NCDENR, - Retrieved 12/24/2010, original source http://www.p2pays.org/ref/32/31321.pdf
Quoting from the North Carolina Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance: The N.C. Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance provides free, non-regulatory technical assistance and education on methods to eliminate, reduce, or recycle wastes before they become pollutants or require disposal. Contact DPPEA at (919) 715-6500 or (800) 763-0136 for assistance with issues in this fact sheet or any of your waste reduction concerns.
 Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd., 120 Carlton Street Suite 407, Toronto ON M5A 4K2. (416) 964-9415 1-800-268-7070 info@carsondunlop.com. The firm provides professional home inspection services & home inspection education & publications. Alan Carson is a past president of ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. Thanks to Alan Carson and Bob Dunlop, for permission for InspectAPedia to use text excerpts from The Home Reference Book & illustrations from The Illustrated Home. Carson Dunlop Associates' provides:
- Commercial Building Inspection Courses - protocol ASTM Standard E 2018-08 for Property Condition Assessments
- Home Inspection Education Courses including home study & live classes at eleven colleges & universities.
- Home Inspection Education Home Study Courses - ASHI@Home Training 10-course program.
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on these courses: Enter INSPECTAHITP in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference Book, a reference & inspection report product for building owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
- The Home Reference eBook, an electronic version for PCs, the iPad, iPhone, & Android smart phones.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter inspectaehrb in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Illustrated Home illustrates construction details and building components, a reference for owners & inspectors.
Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Illustrated Home purchased as a single order Enter INSPECTAILL in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
- The Horizon Software System manages business operations,scheduling, & inspection report writing using Carson Dunlop's knowledge base & color images. The Horizon system runs on always-available cloud-based software for office computers, laptops, tablets, iPad, Android, & other smartphones.
- Thanks to Scott C. LeMarr, for sharing his file of keys to decode Furnace and Water Heater Age from the data provided on the manufacturer's equipment labels. Mr. LeMarr is
a professional home inspector, Certified Professional Inspector/President,
MASTER Indoor Environmental Specialist (MIES).
Vice President of Wisconsin NACHI. He and his company, Honest Home Inspections, LLC. can be reached at
262-424-5587 or by email to scott@honesthomeinspections.com
- Fuel Oil & Oil Heating Magazine, 3621 Hill Rd., Parsippany, NJ 07054, 973-331-9545
- OIL TANK PIPING & PIPING DEFECTS - how to pipe oil tank fill, vent, and oil supply lines, common defects, leaks, safety concerns
- 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.)
- "Scale formation in water heaters and methods of prevention", Krappe,
Justus Maximilian, Engineering experiment station. Gas engineering
bulletin; no. 6; Research series; no. 74; On cover: Engineering
bulletin, Purdue university. Vol. xxiv, no.
3a. June, 1940 (Layfayette Indiana) commonly referred to in some references as "Purdue University Bulletin No. 74" - thanks to researcher Robyn Goldstein for the full citation. LCCN: 40028844 & OCLC: 1038544 - Water analysis, water softening, hot-water supply. 27pages. You can obtain this document through your local library.
(full copy file at InspectAPedia 3/31/2010)
Purdue B074 can be hard to locate online.
Also Bradford White Corporation (a manufacturer of water heaters) has published excerpts from that document, available at Purdue_B074_BradfordW.pdf
- Links to our list of additional information on heating system inspection, repair, maintenance
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Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
 The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes, Carson Dunlop & Associates, Toronto, Ontario, 25th Ed., 2012, is a bound volume of more than 450 illustrated pages that assist home inspectors and home owners in the inspection and detection of problems on buildings. The text is intended as a reference guide to help building owners operate and maintain their home effectively. Field inspection worksheets are included at the back of the volume. Special Offer: For a 10% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference Book purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space. InspectAPedia.com editor Daniel Friedman is a contributing author.
Or choose the The Home Reference eBook for PCs, Macs, Kindle, iPad, iPhone, or Android Smart Phones. Special Offer: For a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Home Reference eBook purchased as a single order. Enter INSPECTAEHRB in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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- Carson Dunlop, Associates, Toronto, have provided us with (and we recommend) Carson Dunlop Weldon & Associates' Technical Reference Guide to manufacturer's model and serial number information for heating and cooling equipment
Special Offer: Carson Dunlop Associates offers InspectAPedia readers in the U.S.A. a 5% discount on any number of copies of the Technical Reference Guide purchased as a single order. Just enter INSPECTATRG in the order payment page "Promo/Redemption" space.
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