Single pipe steam heat. Steam condenses and drains down same pipe bringing rust residue with it back into the boiler. Turns the water brown, affects performance of boiler. Needs to be flushed every so often.

In my old New England home, I keep a hose permanently attached to the boiler with the other end in the sump pump pit. Makes it a lot easier to drain. Never had a problem with sump pump due to this. 9 years and counting!

I bought an old house with an unusable oil-fueled boiler and steam heat radiators that hadn't been used in YEARS (they switched to use wood-burning stoves instead). I had a new gas-fueled boiler installed and, like you, had to drain the rusty/dirty water -- however, I was told that draining made the boiler less efficient (having to replace hot water with cold) so I only drained about a gallon once every month. After a couple/few years I no longer had to drain because the system ran much cleaner! the house smelled better too. :)

FWIW, when I drained the hot/rusty water I'd take it outside and dump it in the yard... or more specifically, dump it onto the piles of snow. :)

Boiler water may be rusty and dirty, and it smells funny because all the oxygen is gone, but its not hazardous and has no chemicals in it. I have a two-pipe hot water boiler, and I only drain the boiler water if I'm doing maintenance. However, when I did drain it I just let it cool down, connected a garden hose, and ran it down my utility sink drain.

Bruce

Whatever the appearance of the water, is the steam wet and/or dirty?

I suspect you may be draining too much water from your boiler and introducing fresh water which increases oxidation.

What you should do is add a conditioner to the boiler water so you can stop replacing oxygen depleted water with fresh water before you get a permanent layer of sludge.

The simple way to learn how to protect your boiler is to call a plumber.

Plumbing systems can handle it and so can your sump pump and your utility sink. How many millions of gallons of boiling water is dumped into the sewers of America every years by those empty there cooking pots. If anything it will actually help depending on what you use your sink for as the hot water could help melt and dislodge grease in the pipes.

If you go to your local water supplier you can buy 5 gallon jugs of water that are distilled or deionized that may help your boiler. I don't know how yours fills but if you made need a small pump to fill it in this method.

JDS hit the nail on the head. You are making the problem worse. Even adding too much makeup water to the boiler can cause premature oxidation... I live in New England in a 1910 home as well, also have single pipe steam heat, if i saw that much rust in the sight glass after having the boiler serviced I would call my plumber. You might have a leak in the system introducing air, which is made worse by the fact that you're emptying the system and adding fresh water to it every week.