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Boiler Repair Advice


cygnusx1

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My parents have a Burnham boiler that is 12 years old, under warranty for 20. It heats water for their hot water home heating system and hot water. It's oil fired.

 

The boiler developed a slow leak from underneath. They called a plumber who tried to put in a sealant. It didn't work. Another plumber came along and worked out a warranty price for a replacement boiler for $400, great! BUT he quoted $5000 in installation labor and misc parts!

 

It's a two zone house with a hot water heater zone. Pretty simple. I thought $5000 labor was excessive for a drop in boiler replacement.

 

Meanwhile, I pulled part of the case off the boiler and found the leak in a small pinhole on the right side of the boilers cast iron tank. It looks like a tiny pinhole in the casting. I immediately thought of saving my parents $5000+ with a tube of JB Weld, but possibly voiding the remaining years of warranty.

 

Opinions on the JB Weld fix option? Certainly another quotation would be in order from another plumber if I don't go with the JB Weld.

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JB weld won't hold on the boiler (or if it does not very long).

$5000 for 'install' is a rip off IMO (i'm in the HVAC business). That is more or less full retail when all is said and done for some new units. I can see a full day install so 8hrs x $90/hr (or whatever rate they use) to install a new unit + sundries of a couple hundred dollars. But thats no where near $5k obviously.

 

Get another quote to say the least.

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I thought $5K was a ripoff also. Jon, the leaking tank is made of cast iron. It's really clean cast iron and it only has a tiny dribble of water when the boiler is up to temp. It can be drained and there is room to get a welder in there without removing the boiler. I am going to guess it leaks about a gallon a day during this heating season.

 

I used JB weld on my turbo downpipe and it had held up pretty well. The boiler is much cooler than the downpipe although the pressure is higher.

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I assume this boiler operates at greater than 15psi? if so, then it should have an ASME stamp. if it has an ASME stamp you cannot weld on it or you will void the stamp, your warranty, and be liable if it ever goes boom.

 

the fact that the cast iron is really clean makes me think you have a corrosion issue. I think the cast iron is supposed to passivate into a black oxide layer. This should be checked out. formation of a pin hole after 12 years might mean that the boiler is corroding and thin. this could result in a boiler failture and that would not be good.

 

I also don't think that $5K for installation sounds right unless there are inspections and such that goes along with it. Being a fired boiler i don't think that just any plumber can work on it. I would check with your state boiler inspectors to make sure that you are working with people legally able to work on boilers and what the rules are for reinspections if any. better to do your homework and not have someone hurt with a improperly repaired boiler.

 

I suppose i rambled some, let me try to summerize

 

1) have someone qualified to inspect boilers check to insure you do not have a corrosion problem with your boiler that effects more than the cast part that is currently leaking. I would also check that this unit is designed to suppy hot water. mostly hot water boilers are closed loop to help curb corrosion and prevent the issue you are experincing.

 

2) check with the state to insure what inspections/qualifications are required to repair this boiler. if you don't it might mean redoing this if you ever try to sell the house. I would also ask the state if they have a list of persons/companies that are qualified to do this.

 

3) find someone that can perform the repair/replacement at a fair price.

 

best of luck,

 

-Gabe

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