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I need a little insight on my Boiler !!?
Hello fellow Yahoo Answers Users !!! My name is Joey and I have a verrrrry old boiler in my home and during the hurricane Irene (5 months ago) my basement flooded with about 5 feet of raw sewage water... yuck ! And this is not the first time it happened ! Anyways, prior to the storm I shut off my gas to the boiler because of a previous event, same situation but I didn't know to shut off the gas and I was evacuated out of my home because the sewer water was almost at my electrical box and lets just say my home was nearly a fireball, keen for roasting yummy marshmallows. I am a typical handyman, not too many things I can't sit and figure out how to fix, but this boiler gave me a challenge since august ! Long story short, I took the entire gas system apart, cleaned it out...THOROUGHLY and bada bing bada boom ! we got the pilot light back on ! However ! the boiler has no problem whats so ever lighting when the thermostat tells it to, but a few little problems.. 1, the radiators just aren't hot enough, they are hot, just not to the point that they cant be touched, which I feel is the only way a radiator should be, however its burrrrning hot right before the entry valve of every radiator in my home, and veryyyyy hot on the bottom of the radiator and not so much towards the top of it. I know I know it definitely sounds like a bleeding problem but I don't know that just isn't it... I know someone is going to tell me to bleed them, been there done that.. Problem number 2 ! My boiler actually reads zero pressure ! I don't know if that's possible because I do have some heat in these radiators just not as much as Id like so maybe the gauge is busted ?... IF someone can just explain to me the importance and cause and effect of superb boiler pressure... OH YEAH and I recently just noticed that 3 of the radiators in my home, is missing the screw that is unscrewed to bleed the radiators !!!!, I'm not too sure if that could or would effect the boiler pressure but I figured Id throw that in there as a possibility and finally how are old boilers pressure increased ? A valve, I have read on some sites a screw ? Please if someone could answer all these questions I would greatly appreciate it ! Thanks !
2 Answers
- KILOWATTLv 59 years agoFavorite Answer
The correct pressure is critical for the system to operate properly. The pressure determines how high the water will rise in the radiator and piping system. If you have any missing bleeders, you will have water spraying out of the holes.
If you find your boiler pressure is very low, and it is running, you should shut off the gas or the thermostat and give it 1 hour to cool off, as boilers can be damaged from thermal shock, and worse. If you are in the USA you need 12-16psi, this is about .8-1.2 bar in Europe. Look for the gauge on the boiler. There should be a cold water line in the vicinity, and it may be hard piped into the boiler through a shut off valve and a pressure reducing valve, as shown in link.
( http://www.statesupply.com/bi1048 ).
In Europe many boilers have the pressure reducer built in to the boiler and have a braided hose to connect to the water line to fill it.
Do not run the pump or boiler until it is filled. You will have to bleed the air at the high points, such as the radiators. If air is sucked into the air bleeds when you open them, you may need to add more water. When the pump is running, check the pressure and bleed them again, you may have to add more water to make up for lost air. Close the water fill valve before you reach 20-30 psi or you may cause the relief valve to open. If the relief opens and then leaks after closing, you will need to replace it, as it is defective. If you have too much pressure you can open the drain valve to remove some water.
- pipe stranglerLv 69 years ago
If a bleed screw is missing you will get no pressure on the gauge as none will build up, it will allow water out as the system heats up so it possible you now have low water. Refit a bleed screw refill, bleed refill and try it.
