New boiler caused these issues?

14 years ago

Just replaced oil boiler with gas boiler and these symptoms started immediately thereafter. Job took 4.5 days to complete, because had to have asbestos contractor remove asbestos and older boiler, then HVAC contractor install new boiler. DHW was shut off during the 4.5 days of work.

Issues

1) After 4.5 days with no DHW, I took a shower that evening after the new boiler was installed and DHW turned back on. Later that night I noted water dropping from the shower head. I turned it on and off, but still the drip continued at the rate of one gallon per 24 hours. It has never dripped before.

2) Two days later, for the first since the DHW had been turned back on, I turned on the hot water of the sitz bath(separate from the shower stall). It is now dripping at similar rate of shower. This faucet has never dripped. What would cause a drip to start after faucet was used, but not after DHW was turned back on?

3) The sink in this same room does not drip. The kitchen sink does not drip. These two faucets have been replaced in the last seven years. The two that are leaking are original from when I purchased home 7 years ago. Is it a coincidence? Can the water pressure have been set higher when the new system was put in?

THE BIG QUESTION - are the radiant pipes that run through my plaster ceiling that are probably the same age as the shower and bath fixtures possibly leaking? I get paralyzed with paranoia when I have this type of infracture work done, because of the potential domino effect.

4) Not enuf hot water when washing dishes. I hand wash dishes. I have noticed that the water runs hot when I am filling the sink. I turn water off. Then over the next 10 - 15 minutes, the hot water is turned on and off quickly to rinse each washed item. The water is barely warm during the rinsing, so that by the time I am done dishes, the sink is full of cool water. With old 55 year old, 30% efficiency oil boiler, water was warm if not hot when rinsing dishes.

How do I get hot water for short, quick demands?

Contractor is coming back Tues to finish job. Is there a connection between dripping faucets in bathroom and new system?

Thanks - Kath'

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Comments (6)

vhehn
14 years ago
probably not
baymee
14 years ago
It's possible they installed a mixing valve which would keep the water around 120. It's also possible that they got dirt or copper shavings in the pipes which now is in the seats of your valves. Could be that the boiler water is set too low. Your heating pipes should not have anything to do with your domestic hot water. They are separate devices.
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You need to look at the construction of the attic ventilation system above the insulation. You indicated they put the channels in and left a gap for airflow, prior to insulating the rafter bay. In order to get condensation in the attic, it takes two things, Presence of moisture and a condensing surface. Obviously, there is moisture present, and the source will need to be identified, but what baffles me, is that a conditioned attic (heated) remains cool enough to have a condensing surface on the heated side of the insulation. Have you looked into the insulation and up onto the baffle that was installed? It is my guess that by installing the baffles continuous from top to bottom, that they possibly did more harm than good, particularly if the channels are continuous or sealed. They certainly have a ventilation channel, but you need to consider the reasoning for that ventilation channel. Attic ventilation first and foremost (at least in my heating climate)is to relieve the attic of moisture. The other reason is to relieve the attic of excessive heat in the summer time. With the insulation at the rafter level instead of the attic floor, they will need to have a continuous(sealed) vapor barrier or a dual purpose air barrier, such as drywall (ADA Approch). Kraft facing is not an adequate vapor barrier.retarder, in this application. Couple this with warming the attic temp, should alleviate the problem, but dont do it by simply warming the attic without the sealed vapor barrier or you will just drive the moisture deeper into the insualtion system. With the types of temperature differentials this winter has provided us, problems are going to arise, that didnt happen last year, irregardless of how many occupants were there last year.
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Cassie A couple of points: 1. The bathroom fan has to be vented through the roof or eaves. Having it vent into the attic space can cause condensation on cold surfaces (like the vent stack or wood framing)as well as mold and other problems. 2. It could be that the drops of water are condensation on the pipe - but that wouldn't be my first guess. The pipe would have to be significantly colder than the surrounding surfaces AND the humidity would have to be very high as well. What I have seen is that the vent is typically a little warmer because of hot water usage and because it's in a heated portion of the house before it exits to the attic. If anything, the condensation should be be closer to the roof. An exception might be if you are in a very cold climate (UP in Michigan, for example). I would look for a small leak where the stack goes through the roof. It's not uncommon, especially with cast iron pipe, for that joint to leak. Cast iron pipe is rough on the outside and doesn't seal as well against a rubber boot on the roof - often they are just sealed with roofing tar - which dries out and cracks. Look for daylight around where the pipe goes through the roof. A short-term fix is roofing tar if it's leaking. A longer term fix is to cut the cast iron pipe in the attic and use PVC pipe (very smooth surface) and a new rubber boot on the roof. Join the PVC with the cast iron pipe using a Fernco fitting. Be aware that cast iron is VERY heavy.
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baymee
14 years ago
Edit: The boiler's aquastat could be set too low on the low limit.

The aquastat differential could be set incorrectly.

A properly set aquastat should give you consistently uniform hot water temperatures. If you have a mixing valve, it could be set too low.

If the boiler was sized correctly and your quanity use of hot water is reasonable, you should never run out of hot water. By this I mean that you should be able to take a shower and wash dishes at the same time. In the 35 years that I've had domestic water coils and a family of 5, there was never a time that the domestic water even got lukewarm.
baldloonie
14 years ago
Tankless coil or tank heated by the boiler?

I'd guess Baymee is right on crud in the valves knocked loose when the boiler was changed.
kath_inseastpa
Original Author
14 years ago
1) good point about the crud - used shower for the second time (3) days later and afterwards drip was not there and has not resumed 24 hours later. I will run Sitz bath faucet for extended period to see if that can cure the drip. I love these no tool fixes that border on miracles of science!

2) I will have them make adjustment to mixing valve.

3) Type: Triangle Tube Prestige Excellence a High Efficiency Condensing Stainless Steel Wall Mounted Gas Boiler with a built-in "Tank-in-Tank" Indirect Fired Water Heater.

4) Another symptom appears to be occuring with the introduction of this new system: increased moisture in some parts of the home. Evidenced by condensation on windows in the early AM when indoor temp is 65 and outdoor temp is between 39 - 50. From time to time, this symptom occurs but usually when there is a greater degree of in/out door temp in the winter. However it is occuring during temperate weather.

Second symptom is swollen wooden door threshold that is closest to the boiler - to the point that I have to yank the door open and shoulder it to get it to latch. Again this symptom does occur but typically in August on very humid days when there have been a series of rainy days with hot temps, and high humidity. This morning it was 39 degrees and yesterday's high was in the low 60s. We did have rain most of the weekend and this AM was moist so I am hoping this symptom is caused by weather and not changes due to systems.

System modifications from oil to gas: 1) replaced metal flue that had a damper(?)that swung open/shut with a solid PVC pipe through which exhaust exits home. 2) They are not installing an intake pipe to the outdoors, rather using the air in the home. 3) condensate drain is pumped and contained in a vinyl pipe that is inserted into the laundry drain pipe - so no open water.

Thanks all. Kath'
brickeyee
14 years ago
If you do not have a CO alarm, get one and place it in the room directly outside the boiler room.

New boiler caused these issues?

Comments (6)

vhehn

baymee

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New boiler caused these issues?

Comments (6)

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