VITAL INFORMATION
REGARDING YOUR WATER HEATER AND BOILER
I’m trying to advise
people what needs to be done regarding their boilers and water heaters that
have been submerged under water or flooded. Many of my customers want to know
what to do. Instead of discussing it with each person I decided to compile my opinion
based on my research.
As I sit down to write
this, I’ve spent the past several days discussing the issues with heating
experts and boiler manufacturers. Before Sandy, I’ve never had to deal with
floods of this scale. My goals are to do only what is necessary to make the
systems safe, get them back up and running, while trying to save my customers
as much money as possible.
FACT:
Government agencies such
as FEMA, AHRI, and all boiler manufacturers me a statement from Burnham boilers
yesterday (Nov 5 2012) say that any gas appliances such as boilers and water
heaters that were submerged in water MUST be replaced. They should not be relit
by anyone. (My colleague, Ahron
Koster, personally spoke to Peerless boilers, Slant Fin boilers, and sent me a
statement from Burnham boilers all yesterday
Even if someone were tell you (as I began telling my customers
last Wednsday after the hurricane) before this research that they can save
boiler by replacing ALL submerged controls and cleaning pilot tubes and
scrubbing boiler sections etc., it is so labor intensive that it would require
at least 10 hours labor, and it still could explode. Material cost will never
be less than $500 probably close to $1000. And that’s without labor charge. A
replacement boiler cost usually in $5000-$8500 range depending on type forced
water or steam, how many zones, how large boiler etc. To spend say $3000 on
something that will still be full of problems is a waste of money. In addition,
any problems you have in the future say G-d forbid it creates small explosion
or there is Carbon Monoxide poisining G"F, the insurance companies wont
cover it once it went through a flood
Some of the reasons why
boiler needs to be replaced are as follows:
- Carbom Monoxide poisioning-
the passageways between sections get blocked with salt mud, etc. When
boiler is turned on, if combustion gases can’t go up your chimney, they
pour into your house instead
- fire hazard-
- water
conducts electricity. Electrical controls that get wet can short the hot
and neutral wire and catch fire
- explosion-
- when
gas lines get water in them from flood, salt water, raw sewage etc. toxins
in them can make natural gas explode
- wears out quicker-
- once
it get salt water on the cast iron sections, it will wear out quicker
causing a leaky boiler
- chemical contamination-
- sections
that get contaminated cause the combustion process to be altered. Residue
on sections from flood can be flammable depending on what it picked up
- sand, silt and mud-
- gets
soaked into insulation causing them to mold. Gets into burner tubes and
manifold results in explosions or bad combustion
If you are a skeptic and
think the agencies are just not caring about your situation or maybe the boiler
companies are just trying to sell new boilers then listen to my most recent
experience at the house of Avrohom and Fryde Rekant of Lawrence, New York. I
went to his house Thursday believing I could replace only the controls and
clean up the boiler.
Here is what happened so
far: I replaced all electrical controls that got submerged, the circulator
pump. Here is what I did concerning the gas end: I replaced the gas valve and
thermocouple. I removed the pilot orifice- it was clean. I emptied out water
from the pilot tubing and blew out what ever water was left. I removed all the
burners tubes and emptied them out from water and wiped them down and put them
back. I cleaned the burner manifold tube and soaked the water as much as
possible with paper towels and cleaned out the burner manifold orfices. The
pilot is burning nicely a clean blue flame.
PROBLEM :When I turn the
boiler on, on a call for heat when the main valve opens up some of the time
there’s a delay of 2-3 seconds and the flame lights with a small boom, yeah
actually a small explosion. Got the flame explosion 3 out of every 4 tries.
Meaning 1 out of 4 was normal and smooth.
I tried to adjust the pilot flame thinking that the pilot flame thinking that
the pilot flame was a little small and I found it already at its maximum before
I touched it.
I obviously did not leave the customer like that. Shut down boiler.That's where
I ended last night and that’s where I’m done with thinking I know better than
FEMA and the boiler manufactures. He needs to replace his boiler. End of Story.
Oh and by the way. He just replaced it before Pesach.
Finally. Please look at
the following links on your computer (if you have a generator or power) You
will see issues on black and white. Throw the appliances out.
http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/143163/SUBMERGED-Boilers-and-Water-heater-What-absolutely-needs-replacing#p1277915
http://www.heatinghelp.com/forum-thread/143072/Flood-Clean-Up-Cautions
I would like to thankTJH
for taking this article with its due seriousness. Would like to thank Ahron
Koster for calling the boiler companies and using him as a chavrusa to sharpen
the "sugya". He’s a great plumber from Kew Gardens He can be reached
at 917 613
0193.He does come to work in the Rockaways and Five Towns. Would like to
thank the Rekants for their patience and calm demeaner even now as they still
have no heat. I can be reached at 718 9866007 or email josephfar@kewnet.com.
I’m happy to help you out.
I have a lot of money
saving ways to help with your heat in the interum period, but have not had time
to write it. Hopefully will be addendum article next week
You can text me or email
me tour questions. Yossie Hardoon-HHI SERVICES LLC
PLEASE DO NOT HAVE AN
UNQUALIFIED PERSON TO WIRE YOUR BOILER TO A GENERATOR. BELIEVE IT OR NOT, NOT
ALL ELECTRICIANS ARE FAMILIAR WITH BOILERS. THEY MUST KNOW THE FUNCTION OF ALL
BOILER CONTROLS BEFORE WIRING IT. I JUST CAME FROM A CALL WHERE A LOCAL SHUL
SENT AROUND A GROUP OF PEOPLE DOING CHESED TO DIFFERENT FAMILIES TO GET THEM
HEAT. THE PERSON BYPASSED WITH HIS WIRING THE LOW WATER CUT OFF ON A 24 VOLT
STEAM/GAS SYSTEM. THE LOW WATER CUT OFF IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SAFETY FEATURE ON
A STEAM BOILER. IN ADDITION, HE WIRED A 120 VOLTS TO A 24 VOLT GAS VALVE. ASIDE
FROM DESTROYING THE GAS VALVE, WHICH IS AN EXPENSIVE COMPONENT, IF HIS IDEA
WOULD HAVE WORKED, HE WOULD HAVE LEFT THEM IN A PRECARIOUS SITUATION. WHAT IS
BETTER, SOME COLD OR THE IRREPLACABLE LOSS OF A FAMILY?
IN ADDITION, ANYONE
WHOSE GAS BOILER OR WATER HEATER WAS SUBMERGED IN WATER SHOULD HAVE THE GAS
VALVE SHUT OFF AND NOT TO BE TURNED ON BEFORE A QUALIFIED PLUMBER/HVAC
CONTRACTOR CAN COME LOOK AT YOUR APPLIANCE. THIS INCLUDES WATER HEATERS WHOSE
MAIN BURNER TRAY GOT SUBMERGED IN WATER. THIS MEANS IF YOU GOT ABOUT 4 INCHES
OF WATER YOU SHOULD NOT LIGHT YOUR WATER HEATER BY YOURSELF. YOU NEED A PERSON
WITH EXPERIENCE TO WATCH HOW THE FLAME IS BURNING AND BEHAVING BEFORE LEAVING
IT ALONE. YOU CANNOT POSSIBLY KNOW THIS EVEN IF YOU KNOW HOW TO LIGHT YOUR
WATER HEATER. ANY DOUBTS THAT YOU HAVE, DO NOT PROCEED
