Regular Guest
I'm new to the forum and could use your help. I have a 5 year old (to the day) Slant Fin boiler (model se70dp). Our old boiler was at least 45 years old. When they replaced it was in bad condition. Service man stated Flu pipe rotting out, leaking at eliminator and relief vavle. Due to safety issues he recommended replacement. We agreed.
New boiler installed everything was working for first two years then roll out switched tripped. Service tech says roll out switch open, boiler sooted up, needs mat (?). He quoted us a crazy high price to clean the sooted boiler. We ended up having a different company clean and replace switch. All was well for two years. Now I have been working in my basement on a project and I had to move the boiler. When I took the hood off I see it is completely full of soot and rust again.
Any suggestions or help please. If the roll out switch goes bad does this mean we are getting CO2 in the house?
Professional Member*
Do not take any chances. No one can tell you from here whether or not CO is leaking into your home. Call out a pro and have it tested. I would also recommend that the pro also check that your boiler is getting a proper supply of combustion air, proper combustion analysis done. Good luck.
Professional Member*
Sounds like something may not be burning correctly. Get a company to do a combustion analysis on it to find out why it soots up so fast. Tripping roll out switches is not to be taken lightly.
Professional Member*
Can you say, Yearly Maintenance?
Professional Member*
sooting is usually caused by lack of combustion air, or dirty burners which means that yes it is more than likely spilling Co. You really need to call a pro NOW.
Regular Guest
Thanks Guys. How about instalation issues? Combustable air mix, is this install related? Why did the original chimmey flu pipe rot out? Could this be venting up my chimmey properly? I have it going into my brick chimmey on the outside of the house. I looked down it from the top and it doesn't seem to be plugged.
I know you said yearly maintenance and I agree, but every two years a complete rebuild doesn't seem right.
John
Professional Member*
do you have a combustion air duct installed and do you have a flue cap installed?
Regular Guest
Lost me. I have a mushroom cap about two foot off the top of the boiler and a cap on the top of my chimney.
Professional Member*
a combustion air duct is a duct coming from outside and will terminate somewhere near your boiler. a boiler will soot up with a lack of air.
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
Are you using nat gas or LP.
Regular Guest
natural gas.
Not sure on the combustion air duct? I will look. It is in a low height basement with a outside vented window that I leave open.
Professional Member*
Call the co that installed it and ask if they can do a combustion analysis, if not then find a co that can. How big is the flue in the chimney, and is there anything else sharing the chimney? Did you make the home super tight recently, new windows, doors and so on. The boiler needs the proper amount of combustion air, the right gas pressure and volume, the right flow rate, system pressure, and the right temperature return water. Any one of these things could cause soot.
In short you need a service man that knows boilers. You could try our contractor locate map..
I r the king of the world!...or at least I get to stand on the roof and look down on the rest of yall
God Speed, Jim. We'll miss you - 2-26-23
Time you had someone out that knows how to set it up right. After its cleaned, it needs to be set up with a combustion analyzer. Just eye balling the flames doesn't tell anyone anything about how well it is or isn't burning.
The lower priced company you had out, apparently didn't know how to est it up. You need a company that knows what they are dong, and has the proper tools to set it up.
Professional Member
Talktowags,Originally Posted by talktowags
Please read and follow AOP forum rules.
Apply for you AOP(*) before posting advice.
Thank you.
Professional Member*
And please come back and tell us what happens with it, we like to give advice and all but it's kind of nice to hear what happens....besides I have $10 on the return water temps
I r the king of the world!...or at least I get to stand on the roof and look down on the rest of yall
Regular Guest
Agreed. One last question. I looked at the operaters manual and it says the chimney requirements need to have a ceramic liner. It is a brick chimney on the outside of the house.
I have not sealed up the house tight lately. Unfortunalely it is about 130 years old, that is almost impossible to keep it draft free.
Thanks for the help. I will be contacting a professional. I'm just trying to do some homework so I don't get it wrong again.
Thanks
John
Regular Guest
Just trying to do some home work. Thanks . The internet and forums work best for quick suggestions on a topic I do not know that much of. These postings have been helpful.
Professional Member
You did nothing wrong.
You asked a good question and have gotten some good advice.
Professional Member*
here is a code ?-is there supposed to be a flue liner in that chimney?
someone with knowledge of your states code will need to chime in
It`s better to be silent and thought the fool; than speak and remove all doubt.
AOP Committee/Professional Member*
There are issues here that need to be addressed. Sooting of any natural gas appliance is not normal and indicates an incomplete combustion problem, also a major source of CO. There vary well may be a chimney issue, combustion air or lack there of, cold return to the boiler causing sweating and subsequent rusting of burners and vents. This just goes on and on. You need a wet head that understands all of these issues and therefore has the solutions.
A good HVAC tech knows how, an educated HVAC tech knows why!
DEM
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