Clean and check hot water and steam boilers and controls by azrikam heating and cooling hvac,

Posted on May 15, 2018

Clean and check hot water and steam boilers and controls

When azrikam the price is right heating air conditioning and refrigeration do clean and checks

There are steps that we take for cleaning a furnace and checking a furnace Annual furnace maintenance is a necessary task. It keeps the furnace in good working condition and helps it run as efficiently as possible. Maintenance also allows a professional to find and repair minor issues before they become expensive problems. As a homeowner, reporting irregularities that you notice to an HVAC professional also goes a long way toward keeping your home safe, lowers energy bills, and keeps your family more comfortable.We check and inspect the whole furnace inside and out

We clean inside the furnace, Northfield, IL  ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail heating and air conditioning free estimates experts, service repair and installation AirEase, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

We vacuum the burners to make sure that the is nothing inside the manifold and orifice that can be blocking the gas from being distrabuted properly

lots of times spider make the home inside these orifices and causing the gas not to flow threw the manifolds where only 3  out of the 4 burners are operational  That it self  can also create a  delay ignition which can be dangerous and deadly, 

Deerfield, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairing,  service repair and installation NuTone, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company, A delay ignition is when you have 4 burners that have gas going threw and 1 out of the 4 burners is releasing the gas very slow were the gas is not igniting properly and after building enough gas  pressure in the heat exchanger chamber  it finally ignites creating a big explossion that can be dangerous or even deadly, Wrigleyville, Chicago, ac hvac  rooftop units residentail and commercail heating and air conditioning free estimates professionals, service repair and installation Amana, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company, Uptown, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail heating and air conditioning free estimates specailists, service repair and installation American Standard, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

So the gas builds up in the furnace until—BOOM—it ignites, causing a mini-explosion. This can harm the heat exchanger, which is very expensive part to replace. Some causes of delayed ignition includes: Dirty burners

Its very important that you have a licensed hvac heating company  like azrikam the price is right heating and cooling  that can do anything  in your home that has to do with cleaning  and checking your furnace

We inspect your heat exchanger loking for any signs of rust For years the rusting of heat exchangers has been blamed on everything from issues with contaminated combustion air to high humidity levels. While these issues need to be controlled, they aren’t really the root cause of the rusting problem. Edgewater, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates maintenance, service repair and installation Ameristar, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

When you see rust in the heat exchanger of natural draft equipment it is a sign that dangerous operation has occurred at some point in time with that piece of equipment. 

Rust is a visual indicator that flue gases are not leaving the heat exchanger of the equipment and exiting through the flue properly. You might not think this is a big deal, but it is as the combustion process is continually deteriorating while the equipment is operating. So how can this happens When you look at perfect combustion the two main byproducts in flue gas are Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Water Vapor (H2O). If these components of flue gas leave the equipment properly and are replaced with Oxygen (O2) for the burner flame, the condition exists for safe operation. Rogers Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairman service repair and installation Arcoaire, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

When the flue gases comprised of CO2 and H2O don’t leave the equipment properly, the combustion process starts to break down inside of the equipment. When you look at the molecular weight of CO2 it is heavier than air. As this heavier CO2 begins to “back up” in the heat exchanger oxygen to the burner flame is slowly displaced creating a deteriorating condition. Remember, if the flue gases don’t leave the equipment, combustion air can’t get into the equipment.

The water vapor side of the flue gas not leaving the equipment is the source of the rusting of the heat exchanger itself. The two will both go hand in hand with this deteriorating condition. The big issue is that the problem with CO2 displacing O2 is almost always overlooked. The water vapor issue presents itself in other destructive forms as well. It has been known to cause the rotting of collector boxes, hot surface igniter failure, and burner rusting to name a few.You might be wondering how water vapor could do that much damage to the metal of a heat exchanger. Lake View, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  technicians, service repair and installation Armstrong, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  companyWhen you look at pH levels you will find the answer why. If you remember from grade school science classes, pH is the scale used to determine whether a liquid is either a base, neutral, or an acid. This scale ranges from 0 – 14.

The neutral level for pH comes in at 7 while any number higher than this is a base. The acidic levels of a substance will be indicated with numbers lower than 7 on the pH scale. The lower the pH number, the more acidic it is. The pH level of pure rain is slightly acidic coming in at 5.6 while pure water is neutral at a pH of 7.

The problem with flue gas is its pH doesn’t match either of these two values. As the two components of flue gas interact, they create a form of carbonic acid. Many areas and municipalities require that the condensate for condensing equipment be discharged into a condensate neutralizer for this very reason. Lincoln Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates serviceman, service repair and installation Bryant, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

This acid has a pH of between 3.5 and 3.8 and is very destructive to most metal surfaces it comes into contact with for an extended period of time. When the flue gas doesn’t leave the equipment, it eats away at any metal surfaces and eventually destroys them.So how can you determine if this will happen on a piece of equipment you are testing cracks flame rool out that is caused from having a cracked heat exchanger

The term “flame rollout” has a dangerous ring to it—especially when it's applied to your home's gas furnace . The burner flame that generates heat inside your furnace should be contained within the safe confines of the combustion chamber.

When a furnace cannot get enough airflow, the heat exchanger overheats and suffers excess stress from expansion and contraction. Over time, the heat stress causes cracks near weak areas such as bends or welds. The most common cause of an overheated heat exchanger is a simple as a dirty air filter.  Gold Coast, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates servicing, service repair and installation carrier, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Excessive soot: Soot is a problem that can occur with gas-fired and oil furnaces. Excessive furnace soot causes the heat that the appliance produces to go up into the chimney instead of into the home. Excessive soot also poses a fire hazard and increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.Seeing debris, soot or rust flakes in the flue vent connector or on the horizontal surfaces near the furnace is a sign that it needs any of the following: cleaning and servicing, a replacement heat exchanger, or burner adjustment. A little oil burner soot (no more than 1/8 inch) after the appliance receives maintenance services is normal. There is a problem, however, if the soot quickly reappears after a professional cleans it.

Irregular flame: The furnace’s pilot light should be blue, not yellow. A yellow, faint, or irregular flame can be a sign that the burner is dirty, clogged, has a faulty ignition, a thermocouple problem, a cracked heat exchanger, or may be located in a drafty room. A yellow flame may also indicate that there is a non-ideal balance of gases surrounding the pilot light. Old Town, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail heating and air conditioning free estimates trouble shooting service repair and installation Comfortmaker, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac company

Short or frequent cycling: Short cycling is when the furnace runs for a short period and turns off. Frequent cycling may be due to bad thermostat settings, a faulty thermostat, poor airflow, an exchanger issue or a clogged filter.

Problems starting and staying on: This is an indication that you may need a new thermostat. Such a problem might also result from bad wiring, a broken pilot light, or a broken fan motor.

Insufficient heat: When a furnace doesn’t heat a space properly, it might be the wrong size, have a clogged filter, or have a problem with the pilot light. It is also an indication that the thermostat might be faulty.

Excessive noise: While furnaces aren’t exactly quiet, they should not make strange noises. Noises generally mean there is an airflow problem, a clogged burner, an ignition issue, or a mechanical problem.Blower continuously runs: A blower that’s always on may be the result of a faulty limit switch,    Bucktown, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairing, service repair and installation Concord, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

A furnace's heat exchanger is a set of tubes or coils that are looped repeatedly through the air flow inside your furnace for the purpose of heating air. Simply put, the furnace heat exchanger is the part of your furnace that actually heats the air. The heat exchangers in direct-combustion furnaces, typical in many residences, are not 'coils'. They are, instead, gas-to-air heat exchangers that are typically made of stamped steel sheet metal.  The combustion products pass on one side of these heat exchangers, and air to heat on the other ,When considering the life expectancy of your furnace, you are really focusing on the life of the heat exchanger itself. Typically a forced-air heat exchanger can be expected to last between 15 and 20 years. Ultimately, heat exchangers fail because of the constant heating and cooling, Thats why it is recomended that you should replace your furnace every 15 to 20 years,one is for safety the other is for the ifficiency, Logan Square, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates fixing, service repair and installation Daikin, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

A furnace's heat exchanger is a set of tubes or coils that are looped repeatedly through the air flow inside your furnace for the purpose of heating air. Simply put, the furnace heat exchanger is the part of your furnace that actually heats the air.A good place to start is to compare your furnaces age to the national average. The average life expectancy of furnaces in homes today is between 16 and 20 years. If your furnace is close to this age or older, you should begin shopping. Shopping for a replacement furnace in an emergency does not allow time to make your best decision. Most people prefer to replace their furnace as a planned home improvement rather than a panic replacement when your furnace is faltering or failed. For starters, look at your furnace to see if you have a pilot light. If you do, it is almost certain to be over 25 years old!,

Rising gas and electric prices are not the only reason for high bills. Furnaces often lose their efficiency as they age especially if they have not been properly maintained. As a result your furnace may run longer to provide the same amount of heat. This will cause your gas & electric bills to go up. The money you pay the gas & electric company every month could be used to pay for new furnace. Avondale, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates cleaning service repair and installation day and night, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Furnaces are like cars. As they age, you can replace one part only to have to replace another part next year. It doesn't take long to spend $500 just to keep the old furnace running. Furnaces incur the most breakdowns in the last 2 years of their lives. Another repair sign is whether you had to wait to get parts replaced. As a furnace ages, it gets harder to get replacement parts. This waiting can really be cold on a below zero night.

Do you feel that some rooms are too cold while others are too hot? Or are you always trying to adjust your thermostat to make your home more comfortable? This is a sign that your furnace lacks the ability to properly distribute the air to keep you comfortable in your home.

A yellow or flickering flame may be a sign that poisonous carbon monoxide could be created by your furnace. Other possible signs of carbon monoxide are: Streaks of soot around furnace; Absence of an upward draft in your chimney; Excess moisture found on windows, walls, or other cold surfaces; Excessive rusting on flue pipes, other pipe connections, or appliance jacks; Small amount of water leaking from the base of the chimney, vent, or flue pipe; Rust on the portion of the vent pipe visible from the outside. Irving Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  checking, service repair and installation Fraser Johnston, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Old furnaces often start to make some strange noises as they get toward the end of their life. Have you heard any banging, popping, rattling, or squealing noises coming from your furnace? Another noise is when you hear the furnace blower running excessively. Does your blower turn on & off frequently or does it blow cold air sometimes? If so, this is a sign that your furnace may need to be replacedFurnaces as they age run the risk of developing cracks in the heat exchanger inside your furnace. Carbon monoxide, if present, could leak into your home undetected. Signs of this may be frequent headaches, a burning feeling in nose or eyes, nausea, disorientation, flu-like symptoms. Should you experience any of these, air out your house, open a window to the furnace room and immediately call a gas service technician. Cracks in the heat exchanger can occur undetected which is why no one advises waiting until they occur.

Old furnaces often lack the ability to moisturize and clean the air in your home. Your house air may feel stuffy or stale. Does anyone in your family suffer from allergies to airborne dust, mold, pollen, viruses or dander? Or does anyone suffer from dry nose, dry throat, or dry skin? Other signs may be frequent dust accumulation, static shocks, drooping plants, furniture cracking and musical instruments that do not stay in tune. These signs all suggest that your old furnace is not capable of providing you with the comfort you and your family may want or need so be safe and not sorry, Albany Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates replacements service repair and installation Frigidaire, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

furnace  trouble shooting  servicing and repairing

 The first thing that is supposed to start when a furnace starts up is the draft inducer. If the draft inducer does not start then you probably either have a thermostat , thermostat wiring problem, electrical problem, control board problem or a bad draft inducer.

When you arrive on a jobsite in which a unit’s fan motor is not working or the high-limit switch has tripped, the first thing to check is power to the motor and or unit. If there is proper voltage, check the low-voltage control circuit. Check for proper voltage at the transformer and check for a fuse in the low-voltage circuit. Make sure the circuit breaker is not tripped (or the fuse is not blown). If the circuit breaker is tripped (or fuse is blown) or if the transformer is bad, it could indicate a short in the motor. In that case, check the windings in the motor before turning the power back on. Wicker Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  furnace service repair and installation Lennox, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

To check the windings of a motor for an open or a short, you’ll need to measure the ohms. If the unit has a 120V motor, it will most likely have three or four colored wires (black, red, yellow, and blue are common), a white wire, and two brown wires. Do a resistance check between the white wire and each of the colored wires. The higher the resistance, the lower the speed, with each color representing a different speed: i.e., four colored wires, 4-speed; three colored wires, 3-speed. 

You want to see a resistance reading. If you get a zero reading that means the motor winding is shorted and may be the cause of the tripped breakerblown fuse. If you get an infinite reading  overlimit or OL on most digital meters , that indicates an open motor winding. If either of these conditions exist you will have to replace the motor.When checking the ohms on motor windings, many technicians have difficulty determining an open winding vs. a shorted winding. But it’s really not hard to tell the difference between the two. Read the ohmmeter. It should show a resistance. If it shows a zero reading it probably means the windings are shorted out. If it shows an infinite reading, that means the windings are likely broken or open. Ravenswood, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  cooling service repair and installation luxaire, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Set your meter to volts AC, turn your furnace on so it is calling for heat. ...

There should be either two or three wires going into your pressure switch.

Verify that all wire connections are secure from the furnace to the hot surface ignitor.Does the hot surface ignitor have any visible abnormal spots on it Does the hot surface ignitor glow when the furnace cycles,You will need a multimeter to check the resistance of the hot surface ignitor, River West, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates professionals, service repair and installation NuTone, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

TESTING MY FURNACE TRANSFORMER

If there is no voltage read at the output of the transformer as read by a voltmeter, and power is available on the input side, the transformer has failed. 

As a double check, an ohmmeter can be used. There probably will be 2 wires for the 24 volt side and 2 or more on the 120 volt side.  The color code for the 120 volt side sometimes varies but usually will have one white and one black wire.  The color code is written on the transformer(see left).  Place the probes on the wires or terminals.  The ohmmeter will read a resistance if the winding is good.  Check both windings.  Many transformers have a fuse on the 24 volt side.  If the fuse is open, the ohmmeter will read no continuity.  There is a probably a short in the 24 volt circuit.  Replacement of the transformer will not solve the problem.  The new transformer will also fail. River North, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates specailists, service repair and installation Payne, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

TESTING MY FURNACE THERMO COUPLE

Once this problem was recognized, the next step was the development of the electric pilot safety switch. With this device, a thermocouple was put in the pilot flame. The flame should cover 3/8 to 1/2-in. of the thermocouple tip.

The thermocouple is a device made of two strips or wires of dissimilar materials. (See photo.) They are welded together at one end; this is called the hot junction. The pilot flame then heats the hot junction, generating a dc voltage on the other end of the two strips or wires. This is called a thermoelectric reaction.

The output of a single thermocouple is 20 to 30 millivolts dc (1,000 millivolts = 1 V). The voltage at the cold junction energizes an electromagnet, which closes a circuit on the electric pilot safety switch. The way it works is, you open the “B” cock and light the pilot. There is a button, usually red, on the pilot safety switch. You hold it down for 30 sec, which gives the thermocouple a chance to heat up and send the necessary voltage to the electromagnet to close the circuit. If the pilot goes out, the circuit opens. North Center, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates maintenance, service repair and installation Rheem, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

This switch would get wired in series with the other safety and limit controls on the gas valve; nice and simple, no pilot, no main gas. Don’t forget, back in the old days all the gas valve was, was an electric solenoid valve.

Most valves you run into now are combination gas valves. The solenoid valve, regulator, and pilot safety are all built into one valve. On a standing pilot model we still use a thermocouple, but in a different way. The pilot valve is also built into the combination gas valve, so there’s no more “B” cock. Sheridan Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairman service repair and installation Tappan, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

To light the pilot, you hold down the button on the gas valve to start the flow of gas to the pilot burner. By holding the button down, you are allowing gas into the valve and, at the same time, blocking the flow of gas to the main burner outlet port while allowing it to flow to the pilot burner through a pilot tube coming from the gas valve body. You light the pilot and hold the button down for 30 sec, and when the thermocouple sends the voltage to the gas valve, an electromagnet holds the main safety shutoff in the open position. In this position, pilot gas will always flow and main gas will flow on a call for heat. If the pilot goes out, no gas will flow into the valve.

TESTING MY FURNACE THERMASTAT

Check your thermostat to make sure it is in the "On" position. ...

Stand at the thermostat while an assistant stands at the furnace. ...

Raise the thermostat heat settings slowly. ...

Turn off the breaker to your furnace.

TESTING MY FAN AND LIMIT CONTROL

What is a Fan Limit Switch?

High limit switch

Fan control limit switch, Hollywood Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  servicing, service repair and installation Weather King, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company,

The fan switch reads the temperature inside a furnace and once the temperature becomes warm enough turns the blower motor on sending warm air into a home. This is used so that cold air is not blown in to a house waiting for the gas flames to heat up enough before the blower turns on.

 Depending on the furnace these two switches can be separate or together in what is called a combination switch.

 Some furnaces will have two or even three high limit switches wired in series and checking the temperature at deferent points in the furnace.

the first things to check are

The furnace filter. A clogged up filter will block air flow into a furnace and raise the temperature inside it. If the temperature inside the unit becomes to high the High limit switch will turn the gas off to the unit. Be sure the filter is good. North Mayfair, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates trouble shooting service repair and installation Westinghouse, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

 The next thing to check is if the blower motor is working or not. If the blower motor is not working and no air is being blown through the unit it will overheat and the high limit switch will turn the gas off.

 One way to check this is go to the thermostat and turn the FAN setting from AUTO to ON. If the blower motor blows air out the vents when manually set to ON then you know that the blower motor itself is good and something else such as the limit switch is causing the problem. If the blower motor doesn’t turn on than that doesn’t mean the motor is bad, other components can cause a blower motor to stop working.Before testing the limit switch power off the furnace wait a few seconds and power it back on. Some furnaces will try a set number of times to start (Usually three) if it fails then it will have to be reset with a power off before it works again.

Testing The Limit Switch, Old Irving Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairing,  service repair and installation York, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

TESTING MY FURNACE FLAME SENSER, 

For matters of this discussion, chimney draft is usually thought of as the speed at which the vented gasses travel up the stack, or pressure of the gasses. This can also be referred to as the stack effect. A common question might be “how strong is the stack effect?” Good draft conditions mean that the vented gasses are traveling up the chimney quickly rather than slowly or not at all.

The reason smoke (or other flue gas) goes up the chimney at all is because of the vacuum in the chimney. The question you should ask now is “a vacuum relative to what?” The general answer is that it’s relative to the air in the house. Don’t read too much into that because it gets tricky (for example, how does replacement air get into the house?- because the house environment is a relative vacuum to the outside. Yet the inside of the house is not a vacuum compared to the chimney.) Let’s keep this simple and just talk about the chimney. The pressure in the chimney is typically less than that inside the house. Thus, the draft effect is caused by air inside the chimney being pushed up the chimney by the house air. Cicero, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates checking,service repair and installation American Standard, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

And why is there a difference in pressure in and out of the house, or in and out of the chimney? There can be a few reasons, but the biggest and most important reason is the temperature difference from one place to another. Remember that when air is heated it expands? The same amount of air occupies a larger space, or you could say the same amount of space has less air (fewer molecules of air.)

The air outside the house in the winter is colder and heavier than the warmer air in the house. It pushes its way into the house (or is it pulled, depending on how confused you want to be.) The air in the chimney just came from a fire so it’s really hot and expanded and being pushed up the chimney to the cooler air outside where warm air rises, right? That’s buoyancy. Problems occur when these processes don’t happen correctly.

Draft is measured with a pressure meter that has a probe which goes into the smokepipe. The meter should register a negative number, and generally speaking for residential heating appliances that number would range between -0.02 to -0.04. Zero or a positive number means the gasses are not going up the chimney. And too large a negative number can have its own set of consequences; but that isn’t usually the problem. Mostly “a draft problem” means the gases are not going up the flue, this is merely a minor chimney repair. Dunning, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  replacements service repair and installation Ameristar, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Now there are other reasons for draft problems. One is called Dynamic Wind Loading. or “DWL.” DWL is caused when the wind blows on one side of the house and causes a positive pressure, and creates a corresponding negative pressure on the other side of the house.

If the windward side of the house is tight and the lee side (negative pressure side) isn’t, the vacuum resulting from the wind can suck air out of the house. And the most likely source of that air is the chimney; it’ll pull down on the chimney, smoke and all and keep it from exiting your house! Or if a gas furnace is being vented you won’t see smoke but you still get the carbon monoxide.

The way to deal with that is to tighten up the lee side of the house and then put in an outside-air source. There are kits for that or you can just crack a window on the windward side of the house.

The other large reason for bad draft is when chimneys have to overcome fans in the house. Kitchen fans, bathroom fans, radon fans. It doesn’t take much of a fan to overcome a natural draft appliance (such as a fireplace or woodstove) Again, the best answer is to allow “make up air” into the house.

The problem with that of course is that you don’t want a draft across the floor and you hate to purposefully introduce freezing cold air into the very house you’re trying to heat. It’s a Catch 22, but I can tell you CO poisoning is a bad thing, and smoke in the house is a bad thing. You just may have to make some choices, 

CHECKING AND CHANGING MY FURNACE FILTER

There are good reasons for changing your furnace filters on a regular basis. If you do not change them regularly, you may be losing some of the protection that they provide. Filters can become full of dust and other particles and then they will not trap the new particles that come through. This means they will be released into the air and you will be breathing them in. In addition, your furnace will have to run harder and will be less energy efficient if your filter is dirty. So how do you know when to change that filter? Here are some general guidelines that can help you determine how often is best for you.

Animals are one thing that will affect when your filter needs to be changed. If you have multiple animals then you will change your furnace filters more often than if you have none. Generally those with multiple animals will change a one or two inch filter every month. A four inch filter will need to be changed every two months and a five inch filter every three months. If you only have one animals then you can change that and change the filters every two, four and six months depending on the size of your filter. No animals means you can change every three, six and twelve months. Galewood, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates air conditioning service repair and installation Armstrong, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Dust is another thing that can affect the performance of your filter. If you get a lot of dust in your home then you will want to change more often. For one and two inch filters you need to change once a month. Four inch filters can go two months and five inch filters can go three. Moderate dust will change those numbers to two, four and six. If you have no dust and no other factors then you change your filter every three, six or twelve month depending on the thickness. 

If you always have it on then you will want to change your one and two inch filters monthly. If you sometimes have it on, they can be changed every couple of months. If it is never on you can wait three months. Four inch filters will be changed every two, four or six months depending on whether the fan is on constantly, sometimes or rarely. Five inch filters will be three, six and twelve months

Smoke can be detrimental to the filter and will make you have to change it sooner. Multiple smokers mean that one to two inch furnace filters should be changed monthly, four inch filters every two months and five inch filters every three months. One smoker changes those numbers to two, four and six. If there are no smokers then filters can be changed every three, six or twelve months based on the thickness of the filter. Jefferson Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  heating service repair and installation Bryant, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

WHEN SHOULD I BLEED MY BOILER RADIATORS

WHAT IS A AQUASTAT RELAY

WHAT DOES A PUMP COUPLING DO

WHAT DOES A PRESSURE RELIEF VALVE DO

 This safety valve releases water (and thus relieves pressure) if either the temperature or pressure in the tank gets too high.  These valves are very important.  Water heaters can become bombs if the pressure gets too high and these valves fail to work.  See this major explosion caused by a small (5 gallon) water heater or this one when the TPR valve didn't work..

If your TPR valve suddenly started leaking when it didn't use to, and you haven't had any plumbing renovation work done recently, this is the most likely cause.  As the valves get older they sometimes begin to leak  I'm not sure why this happens.  I've heard people say they wIt's not uncommon for older valves to get stuck in the open position when tested for the first time after many years - so be sure to know where the water shutoff valve for the inlet to the heater is.  A phone number of a plumber is a good thing to have handy.  And don't test it at 10 PM on a Saturday night. :-) 

eaken over time, but I don't understand why that would be.  It may be if it has released small amounts of water over time this water has built up deposits in the valve that begin to interfere with it closing.  Or, perhaps a particle from the tank gets stuck in the seat holding it partly open.  There's a lever on the valve that lets you open it deliberately.  Some advise you do this periodically to be sure it's working properly.  In my experience if you open an older valve it's likely it will never close properly again -- it will begin weeping when it wasn't before.  As Terry Kennedy writes on alt.home.repair: Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates cooling service repair and installation Daikin, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

These valves are cheap and there's only one problem replacing them -- sometimes they're hard to unscrew.  You may need a long handled wrench with a cheater.  Turn off the gas or electricity and cold water supply to the tank.  You only need to drain enough water to get below the level of the valve.  Don't drain a lot of water until you've broken the valve loose, so the weight of the water helps keep the heater from moving while you pull on the wrench. 

Wrap some teflon tape on the threads of the  new valve when you replace it. Northlake,  Illinois ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates experts, service repair and installation day and night, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

May Be High Tank Pressure

The other reason for the TPR valve to run water is high pressure in the water heater tank.  This is usually caused by one of two things -- high main water pressure (water district or well) or a back flow prevention/check valve.

Backflow Valves

Houses built or renovated in the past 10-20 years may have a back flow prevention valve in the water supply line.  These valves only allow water to go in one direction.  Building codes have begun to require them so that once water enters your house it cannot move backward into the water supply system.  This introduces a new problem.  When the water in the water heater tank is heated it expands, making a greater volume of water.  This extra water needs somewhere to go.  If all the faucets in the house are closed it can't go that way.  Before these one way valves, water was simply pushed back out of the house into the main supply.  The backflow valve prevents this, so the extra water has no place to go and pressure builds in the tank until it exceeds the TPR valve set point (about 120 psi) and water comes out the TPR discharge tube.  As you may have guessed this isn't good. Addison, Illinois ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  professionals,  service repair and installation Frazier Johnstone, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Main Pressure May Be Too High

If the main water supply pressure is too high this can also cause the the pressure to exceed the TPR valve set point.  The Uniform Plumbing Code calls for water to be delivered to homes for domestic use at between 50 to 70 psi.  Supply lines as well as appliances are designed to withstand up to 80 pounds per square inch. Northlake,  Illinois ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates experts, service repair and installation day and night, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Water pressure regulators reduce the pressure delivered by the water district to between 50 and 70 psi.  Over time the rubber and metal parts in these regulators can fail. When the regulator fails, water pressure to the home increases putting a strain on valves, hoses and appliances they were not designed to withstand.  A solution to the problem its to install your own pressure regulator on your incoming water line.  But, this pressure regulator will also behave like a backflow valve -- it will not allow water to go backward through it -- so you'll also need an expansion tank if you install your own pressure regulator.

If you suspect the pressure in your water heater is too high you can buy a water pressure gauge for about $9 (one place is Home Depot) and check it.

Galewood, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates air conditioning service repair and installation Armstrong, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company, Connect the gauge to the water heater drain faucet (garden hose thread).  Run a hot water faucet until the water heater begins heating.  Close the faucet.  If the pressure starts creeping up as the heater heats the water, there is a backflow valve or in-house regulator creating a closed system. Bensenville, Illinois ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  specailists, service repair and installation Frigidaire ,azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company,

WHAT DOES A EXPANSION TANK DO

Expansion Tanks for Water Heaters. An expansion tank prevents pressure increases due to thermal expansion of your water. As your water is heated from 50° F to 120° F, it expands by approximately 2%

 hot water expansion tank is a small metal tank (usually 2-5 gallons) that’s installed just “downstream” of the cold water inlet valve that feeds your residential water heater. The expansion tank’s purpose is to protect your house’s hot water system from excessive pressure, which can cause damage to fixtures, your water heater, lines, and/or fittings.

Inside, the tank has a rubber diaphragm at around the mid-point of the tank; pressurized air goes below the diaphragm in the bottom half of the tank, and water flows in and out of the top half of the tank.

To visualize how an expansion tank works, imagine that the diaphragm is actually a rubber ball like you’d find on a playground. The rubber ball is partially filled with air, so that it completely fills up the tank. When the water in your system is “stronger” than the rubber ball, it pushes against it squeezes it smaller — allowing some of the water to force its way into the tank. But when the water pressure outside the tank returns to normal, the rubber ball is once again “stronger” than the water, and shoves the water back out of the of the tank. Belmont Central, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates fixing, service repair and installation AirEase, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

In plumbing terms, the air pressure below the rubber diaphragm acts as a “cushion” against water hammer shock, and allows the tank to absorb excess water pressure caused by the expansion of heated water in the system. It’s far better to have pressurized water push against the “rubber ball” inside a reinforced tank, rather than push against your pipes and fixtures… or even the inside of your water heater. Expansion tanks are very cheap insurance against potentially dangerous and expensive damage to your plumbing. If you don’t have an expansion tank in your system, you really should get one. Itasca, Illinois ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates maintenance, service repair and installation Gibson, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Expansion tanks will normally wear out after anywhere from 5-10 years. To extend their service life as much as possible, it’s vitally important to match your expansion tank’s air pressure to your house’s water pressure

In order to for the shoving match between the water and the rubber diaphragm to work ideally, the air pressure below diaphragm the tank before it gets squeezed should be the same as the normal water pressure in your system. That air pressure is called the “pre-charge.”

Having the tank’s pre-charge set lower than the water pressure will allow expanding water to shove its way into the tank more often it should, which wears out the diaphragm prematurely. But having the tank’s pre-charge higher than the water pressure will prevent the expansion tank from allowing water into the tank, thereby rendering the tank pointless. It could also rupture the rubber diaphragm since it’s not designed to be inflated beyond 80 psi. Wood Dale, Illinois ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairman service repair and installation Goodman, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Most expansion tanks are set to a pre-charge of 20 psi when they leave the factory, while the majority of residential water systems have significantly higher water pressure than that. This means that whoever installed your tank was supposed to manually increase the  tank’s pre-charge to match the water pressure at the time of install

WHAT DOES A WATER FEEDER DO ON A HOT WATER HEATING BOILER

Most residential steam boilers have an automatic water feeder that adds water to the boiler in the event that the boiler’s low water cutoff device says it needs some water. This is not as much a safety item as it is a convenience item. As a matter of fact, there is no requirement by code for an automatic water feeder on a residential steam boiler. It can be said that perhaps it is better to force homeowners to look at their boiler by forcing them to put water into it manually by not installing an automatic water feeder. Itasca, Illinois ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates maintenance, service repair and installation Gibson, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

The problem with automatic water feeders is that they will turn on anytime they are asked to by the low water cutoff device. This presents a problem since it is the low water cutoff device that tends to fail or be influenced by external factors more than any other device on the boiler. If it gets stuck calling for water and doesn’t release the function, guess what. You get a flooded system and potentially a lot of water damage upstairs as water squirts out of all the radiator air vents, loose valve packing nuts, weak joints in radiators etc. This type of situation happens often. Buffalo Grove, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates serviceman,service repair and installation Lennox, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Water feeders do what they are designed to do. That being feed water to the boiler system. They will do this any time they are asked to do so. What happens if you have the old fashioned style mechanical low water cutoff like the #67 Mcdonnell Miller unit and some dirt gets into the ripples of the float mechanism and causes it to get stuck in the position that its calling for water? Well, what happens is you get a flooded system and potentially some serious damage due to flooding upstairs. I’ve seen this happen more with the mechanical devices than with the electronic devices. I’ve seen 30,000 dollars damage to hardwood flooring because of this. What if you weren’t home when this happens? How safe does that automatic water feeder make you feel now? Chicago , IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates servicing, service repair and installation luxaire, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Think your safe with an electronic low water cutoff and an electronic water feeder? Think again. There is a situation that seems to come up periodically with these devices. It happens during an electrical ‘’brown out’’ that usually occurs during a rain storm. When the power tries to come back on but doesn’t quite come on at full strength, the low water cutoff somehow tells the feeder to feed water. So during the time that the light bulbs are on, but dim in the house, the boiler is feeding water. This doesn’t happen anywhere near as much as the problem of the mechanical control failing, but I’ve seen it more than a couple times. It doesn’t damage the controls and by the time the plumber arrives the boiler seems to be working just fine. Except for the fact its flooded, and the homes occupants are cleaning the floors. Then when the plumber can’t find anything wrong the homeowner usually tells of how the lights were really dim in the house and it was as if the power was having trouble coming back up to full strength. Bingo. There really wasn’t anything wrong with the boiler but it got influenced by external factors, that being the brown out event. Des Plaines, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates trouble shooting service repair and installation Maytag, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Okay, now that you realize that your automatic water feeders convenience just came with peril attached to it, what can be done to lessen the peril some.

WHAT DO LOW WATER CUT OFF DO

What is a low water cutoff valve or LWCO?

In order to avoid a heating boiler explosion or damage from loss of water, the low water cutoff is a device intended to shut down unsafe heating equipment by turning off electrical power to the oil burner or gas burner should the water level or pressure in the heating system fall below a safe level. Elk Grove , IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates fixing, service repair and installation Payne, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Low Water Cutoff - LWCO's on heating boilers: this steam heating boiler safety device contains a mechanical or electronic sensor to monitor water level in the boiler. LWCOs are installed on many modern residential hydronic (hot water) heating boilers and on virtually all steam boilers. LWCOs are also installed on all commercial boilers of both types.

Low water cutoff valve on an older steam boiler (C) Daniel FriedmanLow water cutoff valves are installed on all steam boilers, most commercial heating boilers, and some home heating boilers (hydronic or hot water heating systems). Evanston  IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates cleaning service repair and installation Rheem, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Original LWCO valve designs like the low water cutoff mounted on the face of the boiler shown at left used a mechanical float which operated not unlike the float arm in a toilet tank.As water level drops the arm moves down and ultimately trips a mechanical switch that operates an electrical contact to turn the heating system off.

 Mechanical-float LWCOs are subject to jamming due to sludge that forms in the steam boiler as water is lost and mineral debris is left behind. Electronic LWCOs: Newer LWCO controls replace the mechanical float switch with a sensor, reducing the chances of a cutoff malfunction. By monitoring boiler water level and turning off the oil or gas or electric heat source to the heating boiler should water level drop too low in the steam boiler, this important safety device prevents damage to the boiler should the system lose its water.

Sediment and Low Water Cutoff Valves - Flushing Needed: how to use the Steam Boiler Blowdown ValveAs we explained above, mechanical-float LWCO's need to be flushed to remove sediment that could prevent the cutoff from working. In the photo at page top you can see that the owner has left a 5-gallon plastic bucket below the low water cutoff drain pipe. That's for flushing out the LWCO valve. Glencoe, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates checking, service repair and installation Tappan, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Watch out: if the low water cutoff valve is not flushed often enough, the residue of solid debris (minerals, rust, dirt, also referred to as "TDS" or total dissolved solids) can clog the low water cutoff valve so that it will stop working and could fail to sense an unsafe low-water condition in the heating boiler.

Low boiler water level can lead to costly boiler damage or even a BLEVE explosion (see BLEVE EXPLOSIONS). Ask your heating service technician how often your LWCO needs to be flushed.

In the photo at left you can see that the system has two low water cutoff valves installed, at two different levels on the steam boiler. Perhaps this setup was installed for an extra measure of safety?

Since steam heating systems are constantly using water, losing some of it as water vapor venting at steam radiators, and regaining water as the automatic (or on some systems manual) water feeder replaces water in the system, these systems tend to produce sediment at the boiler. Glenview, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates replacements service repair and installation Tempstar, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

If sediment collects in the low water cutoff valve it could prevent the valve's internal float from falling as water level in the steam boiler drops, thus preventing the valve from safely shutting down the boiler should water level fall to an unsafe level. For this reason the low water cutoff valve needs to be flushed regularly, often once a week

How to Use the Blowdown Valve - Steam Boiler Low Water Cutout Valve Flushing Procedure

When we flush a steam boiler or a hydronic heating boiler low water cutoff valve we:

Place a 5-gallon bucket under the end of the flush valve drain pipe, being careful not to bang into piping and maybe cause a leak

Open and shut the flush valve several times, opening it briefly - just a few seconds, then closing it each time. This avoids a large surge of cold water entering (and possibly damaging) a hot steam boiler, and it also seems to help stir up and remove sediment from within the low water cutoff valve.

Watch for clear water: After flushing the LWCO valve several times, when we see that clear water is coming out of the boiler, the job has been done. But notice: often if you hold the flush valve open longer than just a few seconds, you may see clear water coming from the boiler.

Check for clear flush-water once more: But if you close the flush valve and open it again you may see new brown sludge water coming out of the valve again! So when we think we've cleaned out the low water cutoff valve by this flush procedure, we close the valve, wait about 15 or 20 seconds, and then try it once more. If we see that the first water coming out of the valve on this last try is clear too, then we figure we've flushed out the valve successfully. Arlington Heights, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates installations, service repair and installation Trane, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

If an automatic water feed valve is installed: you'll hear new water flowing into the boiler just after each time you open and flush the LWCO valve. That's another reason to do this flush procedure gradually - so we don't damage the boiler by filling it with lots of cold water when the boiler is itself very hot. We discuss automatic water feeder valves for steam boilers at WATER FEEDER VALVE, STEAM

If only a manual water makeup feed valve is installed: you'll need to add water to the steam boiler, filling it back to the "full" line marked on or behind the sight glass. We discuss manual water feeder valves for steam boilers

at WATER FEEDER VALVE, STEAM. It's best to add water to the steam boiler slowly to reduce the chances of cracking (more of a risk with cast iron boilers).

Usually the total volume of water flushed is 2-4 gallons.

Dump the flushed boiler water down a building drain or into another approved outdoor area where some rust and sludge won't contaminate anything, but to not dump hot water into a cold sink or toilet - it may crack.

Safety warning: Be careful, when a steam boiler has been running, water coming out of the low water cutoff flush valve is hot and can scald a bystander.Buffalo Grove ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates air conditioning service repair and installation Weather King, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company 

Watch out: don't confuse water well low-water cutoff controls with heating system low water cutoff controls. The low water cutoff devices that we discuss here are intended for protecting the safe operation of building heating boilers or steam boilers. Heating low water cutoff devices,

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The hot water boiler has a pump that circulates the water through the system which is the heat exchanger , its circulates the water through the piping that go through the radiators and returns back to the boiler ,

When cleaning  a boiler before the season start it helps to check and clean the gas boiler burners for a couple of reasons.

 First of all, it ensures the burners are in proper mechanical order and that the burner will reliably do the job of properly and evenly burn the gas in the combustion chamber of the gas boiler.

 It also adds life to the gas boiler burners if the burners are properly cleaned. So the benefits of cleaning the burners help keep the boiler running and adds life to the gas boiler system

secondary high-temp safety cutoff switch, pressure/temperature gauge, additional various safety sensors and automatic shutoffs on newer units depending on age and make/model 

 boiler, heat exchanger for excessive rust, aluminum corrosion, cracking, blockage of exhausst gas flueways drain sediment from bottom of boil,

Clean burners, combustion chamber, and heat exchange surfaces

Check color of flame: the proper color is blue; a yellow indicates that the gas is not burning properly and the equipment should be adjusted by a professional

BOILER CLEANING AND TUNE-UP:  CLEAN BOILER.  CLEAN BURNERS.  CLEAN COMBUSTION CHAMBER. CLEAN DIVERTER.   CLEAN PUMP.  OIL PUMP.  CHECK WATER PRESSURE.  CHECK AMP DRAWS.  CHECK ELECTRICAL CONNECTIONS.  CHECK GAS PRESSURE.  CHECK FOR GAS LEAKS.  CHECK AND ADJUST THERMOSTAT.  CHECK CHIMNEY BASE.  CHECK FLUE DRAFT.  CHECK RETURN TEMPS

Another thing to be aware of is the boilers that use hot surface ignition to light the main burners.

A burner that is lit with hot surface ignition will not have a pilot burner tube as the hot surface igniter lights the main burners directly without a pilot light.

  It is important that you are very careful with the hot surface igniter. Do not bump it or even touch it as you can break it or damage it.

 This will result in a service call from a contractor to replace the hot surface igniter. Follow the instructions above about cleaning the burners while being careful not to damage the hot surface igniter

 Assemble the burners as they were and you are ready to to test the boiler to make sure it fires and works properly.

The burners for your atmospheric gas boiler can be round as shown in the photo to the left, ribbon type burners that flat looking, or the cast iron type burners on older boilers which are very rugged and durable and will likely last for the life of the boiler, Elk Grove, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates experts, service repair and installation Amana, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

 All these types of burners can use periodic cleaning and maintenance. When I perform maintenance on a gas boiler I remove these burners,

 clean the gas burners thoroughly, wipe the gas burners down with an oil rag soaked in WD-40, clean the burner box completely,

inspect the heat exchanger with a small inspection mirror and a flash light, and replace everything as it was before I disassembled the burners.

There are several ways to clean your boiler. Regardless of which method you choose, you should first shut off the boiler and let it cool down.

 Remove the flue pipe and vacuum the soot. Boilers are made up of several cast iron sections with nubs on each side.

 Sometimes these tubes get packed with soot that needs to be cleaned out. You can use a steel brush for this purpose.

 Make sure you remember where all the little pieces go. Consider taking pictures of the parts you are working on so that you will have a visual reference of where each piece goes.

After cleaning the boiler tubes, wash them with clean water and then let them dry. Check the fireside of tubes for slag, carbon and soot.

These deposits reduce the boiler’s efficiency and should be removed. Now you can start cleaning the whole unit. Evanston, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates professionals, service repair and installation American Standard, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

The whole procedure should take two or three hours. For more efficient cleaning, use a power flush. Vacuum out the bottom of the unit.

Clean the inside and outside of the metal jacket covering your boiler.  Use a high pressure hose to wash the unit. This will remove any loose scale and residual sludge.

Once you cleaned all the separate parts, it’s time to put them all back together. Make sure you also clean the vent sack with a brush.

Place the burner tubes first, then the unit covers and vent sack. Turn the power on and let the thermostat go all the way up.

Keep in mind that cleaning alone will not solve the most common boiler problems. The only way to prevent future corrosion is to treat the unit with a chemical inhibitor.

Care should taken with the pilot tube if the gas boiler is standing pilot or if the gas boiler is intermittent pilot electronic ignition.

The pilot tube is 1/8 inch and made of aluminum. Care should be taken with the pilot tube not to crimp it as this will cause problems.

The pilot burner tube extends from the gas valve and attaches to the pilot burner itself. The pilot burner assembly is attached to one of the burners usually with a couple of machined fine thread screws.

You can use a 7/16? wrench to loosen the pilot burner tube from the valve  and this will free it when the burner is removed so you will not crimp it.  It is prudent to clean the pilot burner also while you have it out.

 You either use compressed air or simply blow on the pilot burner tube to it out and make sure there is nothing that can block the orifice in the pilot burner. That will cause the boiler not to fire so cleaning it is a good thing that adds reliability to the boiler. Glencoe, IL  ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates specailists, service repair and installation Ameristar, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

boiler content

 The Series WB90™ oil-fired boiler is ENERGY STAR® efficient with a 90% AFUE. The residential, cast iron boiler is designed for hot water systems. The WB90-03 can be vented in both direct and natural draft (chimney) venting capacities; the WB90-04 is approved for natural draft venting and will be available soon for direct vent applications. Glenview, IL  ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates maintenance, service repair and installation Arcoaire,azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company 

SERIES WBV/WV™

Products » Residential Boilers » Series WBV/WV™

The Series WBV/WV™ residential, oil-fired boilers are available for use with both hot water and steam systems and designed for natural draft (chimney) venting. The fully-packaged or knockdown boilers are available in 3 sizes (3-5 sections) with 8 firing rates. Features of the Series WBV/WV™ boilers include a full plate swing-out door and convertible rear to top flue outlet (for 3 and 4 section boilers only). Honeywell operating controls, Taco circulators (water boilers) and probe type low water cut-off (steam boilers) are standard. A deluxe, insulated enameled steel jacket on all boilers reduces heat loss. The cast iron sections are assembled with steel push nipples and factory tested to assure a water tight seal. Harwood Heights, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairman service repair and installation Armstrong, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

High Efficiency, Flame Retention Burners

Peerless® Series WBV/WV™ boilers are available with your choice of Beckett, Carlin or Riello burners. These burners feature a high voltage, solid state igniter that improves ignition, and a state of the art motor that results in a lower amp draw and cooler operation. Burners also include a solid state control with interrupted ignition, limited recycle and reset, a pre-purge and other features that assure dependable service. The combination of the advanced control and a solenoid oil valve results in cleaner and quieter burner operation.

Products » Residential Boilers » Peerless® Pinnacle® (Oil)

 The Peerless® Pinnacle® high efficiency, Oil-fired condensing boiler offers 92% efficiency and is ENERGY STAR® compliant. Two firing rates are available – .5 GPH and .6 GPH – with input ranges from 70,000 BTU/Hr. to 84,000 BTU/Hr. respectively.

The residential boiler is equipped with a Beckett AFG Burner, enabling the boiler to reach efficiencies well in excess of conventional boilers; both firing rates qualify for the ENERGY STAR rating. The heat exchanger is constructed of high alloy stainless steel that assures the boiler's durability and protects from erosion. Highland Park, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates technicians, service repair and installation Bryant, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

The direct vent, sealed combustion boiler offers many control features including multiple temperature set points for both heating and domestic hot water and outdoor reset capability. Test and diagnostic functions can be viewed on the LCD display.

 CAST 92-2™

 Products » Residential Boilers » Cast 92-2™

 The Cast 92-2™ boiler is a gas-fired, cast iron condensing boiler that is 90% efficient and ENERGY STAR® approved. The boiler features direct spark ignition and can be used with either natural or LP gas. No parts are required to convert the boiler from natural to LP gas, instead, a simple valve adjustment, a reset of the combustion settings and the addition of a new boiler label completes the change. The cast iron heat exchanger retains heat better and longer than other materials and lends to the extreme durability of the boiler. The Cast 92™ boiler is environmentally friendly with low emissions for both CO2 and NOx and is ideal for both new construction and for replacing older, less efficient cast iron boilers. Due to its unique design and simplicity there is no need for primary/secondary piping. The boiler can be vented with the familiar AL294C venting material and both indoor and outdoor air can be used for combustion.

Control Technology

PEERLESS® COMBI 160™

Products » Residential Boilers » Peerless® Combi 160™

The Peerless® Combi (PC) 160™ gas-fired boiler is a 91.1% efficient condensing boiler that uses premixed burner technology for optimal combustion. The boiler offers hydronic heat and domestic hot water in one complete unit by using an integrated coil-type hot water tank! Stainless steel tubes and an ASME rated heat exchanger are also features of the boiler. The patented premix air/gas modulation system, domestic hot water heat exchanger, and electronic controls make the PC160™ condensing boiler a top-notch choice for performance and dependability, safety, low emissions, and “green” operation.

Panel mounted controls, an installed and wired circulator and expansion tank are all built into an attractive, sound attenuated enclosure. All utility connections for gas, water and condensate are conveniently located at the bottom of the unit. The wall mounted boiler design allows for ease of installation, maintenance and service. Morton Grove, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  trouble shooting service repair and installation Concord, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Venting

Venting is provided by a standard concentric vent kit* that allows the boiler to be vented either “through-the-wall” or vertically for maximum installation flexibility. The concentric vent kit utilizes outside air for combustion thereby reducing air infiltration, thus lowering fuel bills. Optional components to increase venting lengths are also available.

*Please note: PC160™ venting components are not interchangeable with Peerless® PUREFIRE® and Pinnacle® Oil venting components.

Domestic Hot Water

PEERLESS® PUREFIRE®

Products » Residential Boilers » Peerless® PUREFIRE®

The Peerless® PUREFIRE® gas-fired condensing boiler is a high-efficiency boiler for residential applications and is available for either natural or LP gas. The direct vent, sealed combustion boiler has an ultra-high 95% efficiency and is ENERGY STAR® approved! The PUREFIRE®, available in six residential sizes has ASME and ETL certifications for both the U.S. and Canada and is the most thoroughly tested high efficiency boiler on the market! A unique condensate system with built-in neutralizer component and float switch protection is a top feature of the boiler.

STATE-OF-THE-ART CONTROL BOARD

Niles, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates fixing, cleaning service repair and installation day and night, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company, All Peerless® PUREFIRE® gas boilers are equipped with a state-of-the-art control board that offers modern technology such as an outdoor reset control with an additional outdoor temperature sensor and is cascade capable for operation of up to 16 units as a single module. The control board also has built-in technology for domestic hot water priority and an energy saving heat recovery function that improves hot water performance and reduces off cycle losses. Standby temperature of domestic hot water is controlled by economic low fire operation. Additionally, the control board’s LCD status display module uses plain English for easy-to-read status and troubleshooting text while a switch to "system test mode" enables contractors to manually control the firing rate.

The Aruba line of boilers has been a long standing signature line for Crown with its rock solid reliability and adaptability to nearly any installation conditions. At its core is a sturdy cast iron heat exchanger guaranteed to withstand years of operation without a hitch. A proprietary touchscreen control is included with the boiler, providing a single access point for low water cutoff, temperature, and ignition configuration. Gas can be supplied to the boiler from either side, allowing the Aruba to fit into nearly any space in your utility room. Proven in thousands of installations, Aruba a solid choice for any home heating application.

Cast Iron Heat Exchanger

The heat exchanger at the core of the Aruba is made of durable cast iron, a material proven many times over for its reliability in heating applications.

Included Proprietary Control

Built-In Rear Draft Diverter

Crown's Aruba 4 boilers come stock with a rear draft diverter, making the boiler perfectly suited to low clearance installations.

Easily Convertible to Left Side Piping

The internal layout of the boiler makes field conversion to left side supply and return piping a simple task, further increasing the versatility of the Aruba 4's placement in your utility room.

The Bermuda boiler from Crown is a steam boiler designed to be installed in a wide variety of locations. At its core is a cast iron heat exchanger, a material that ensures maximum heat transfer from your fuel source to the steam itself while holding up to years of use. An automatic vent damper is included, regulating the flow of flue exhaust to your home's chimney, and a built-in draft diverter allows the boiler to fit into low-clearance spaces. As long at it isn't carpeting, the Bermuda can be installed on combustible flooring without an issue. An attractive, rugged jacket tops off the Bermuda's feature list, making it an excellent addition to any home that requires a steam boiler. Northbrook, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  replacements service repair and installation Frigidaire, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Cast Iron Heat Exchanger

Low Clearance Draft Diverter

Crown's Bermuda line of boilers come with a low height, automatic draft diverter, allowing it to be installed in low clearance areas or in areas with complicated venting configurations. 

Installable on Combustible Floors

The Bermuda boiler line is designed for installation on combustible flooring. It is safe to install on any traditional utility room flooring from concrete to laminate

The AWI series boiler is a cast iron gas fired water boiler designed for use in closed forced circulation heating systems. This boiler is a Category I draft diverter equipped appliance, which must be vented by natural draft using a lined masonry or listed metal chimney system. An adequate supply of air for combustion, ventilation and dilution of flue gases must be available in the boiler room.

steel, water tube, high-efficiency, condensing, gas-fired, hot water boiler available in larger sizes than the wall mounted Phantom boiler. There are multiple venting options to suit installer preferences, and the Phantom X is stackable for floor space savings (see image below). The Phantom-X is available in natural gas, with a field conversion for LP gas.

The Phantom-X has a modulating burner with a 5:1 turndown ratio and supports multiple boiler lead/lag for up to 8 boilers. Smart boiler features, like domestic priority with priority protection, warm weather shutdown, freeze protection, and pump exercise, make the Phantom-X an excellent option for both residential and commercial applications.

Outdoor Reset with included sensor  Modulating burner with 5:1 turndown ratio  Multiple boiler lead/lag - up to 8 boilers  Honeywell control with LCD touchscreen interface  Vent options allow for CPVC/PVC, single wall polypropylene, or stainless steel venting  Stackable for floor space

Approved for installation on non-carpeted combustible floors,Ideal for tightly built and well insulated new homes and houses without chimneys,Cast iron wet-leg heat exchanger

Direct horizontal venting or vertical venting options to suit most locations - Powered intake and venting System Controller provides two zones Plug-in outdoor temperature rest control Self diagnostics with LED indicators Pressure switch Electronic ignition and step opening gas valve Stainless steel burners, Prospect Heights, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates heating service repair and installation Heil,azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

CGt Gas Boiler

The CGt is available in one size and has a built-in tankless heater as standard equipment.

The CGt gas boiler from Weil-McLain offers a compact design boiler that also provides domestic hot water.

Other features include high-grade stainless steel burners, integrated control module and venting flexibility.weil mclain 82% AFUE EG Gas Boiler

Comes with automatic vent damper for higher efficiencies and reduced fuel consumption

Easy access to controls for convenient servicing

Configured for Natural Gas, intermittent electronic ignition only

A versatile gas cast iron boiler for water or steam applications .Cast iron heat exchanger

Optional Advanced Features Module that provides indoor/outdoor reset, DHW priority, stage firing and more Dedicated water-only oil boiler .Flexible direct or chimney venting - no power assisted fan needed .Reversible swing-away burner door

Three-pass cast iron heat exchanger with captured elastomer seals .Energy Star Rating

weil mclain 87% AFUE Series 3 WGO Oil Boiler

Dedicated water-only oil boiler with cast iron sections - no tankless heater or cover plate

Quick open top and swing-away burner door with full chamber access increases visibility for inspection and servicing .Two flue outlets- rear and top - for complete venting flexibility

Recessed target wall design protects unit from flue brushes

Includes factory-wired circulator, service switch and Weil-McLain exclusive captured elastomer seals for added reliability WEIL MCLAIN .WTGO Oil Boiler .Oil-fired water boiler with cast iron sections .High capacity / high efficiency tankless heater, Rolling Meadows, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  furnace service repair and installation Lennox, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company 

Quick open top and swing-away burner door with full chamber access increases visibility for inspection and servicing

Includes factory-wired circulator, service switch and Weil-McLain exclusive captured elastomer seals for added reliability .Recessed target wall design protects unit from flue brushes .Two flue outlets- rear and top - for complete venting flexibility .Available assembled or as a knockdown for installation areas with limited space

weil mclain .SGO Oil Boiler .Oil-fired steam boiler with cast iron sections and tankless heater opening .Has large water content for longer steaming times .Two flue outlets- rear and top - for complete venting flexibility .Includes factory-wired circulator, service switch and Weil-McLain exclusive captured elastomer seals for added reliability

Quick open top and swing-away burner door with full chamber access increase visibility for inspection and servicing .Recessed target wall design protects unit from flue brushes

weil mclain 84% AFUE CGi Gas Boiler Series 3

Gas fired water boiler with cast iron sections

Natural draft and direct exhaust capability

Can be used with natural or propane gas .All units are factory-tested .Compact design saves valuable living space .No vertical draft hood and no mechanical vent damper

Intermittent electronic ignition with standard components for easy servicing

weil mclain Up tp 85% AFUE

CGa Gas Boiler Series 2 Compact design saves valuable living space

Stainless steel burners for quieter ignition, longer life, and improved combustion

Gas fired water boiler with cast iron sections .Easily accessible controls, vertical flueways and top cleaning for easy and quick servicing Up to 84% AFUE WEIL MCLAIN,

The USC Series boilers combine simple, time-proven, Skokie, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  cooling service repair and installation luxaire, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Series Boilers

Bryant’s Preferred™ Series boilers combine high-efficiency operation with hard-working durability for whole-home comfort. This top series from Bryant is available in a variety of models to fit your system.Preferred™ Series BWM Boiler, Wilmette, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  professionals, service repair and installation Payne, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Model BWM Modulating Operation for Savings You Can Count On

Bryant  boilers Provides exceptional comfort and efficiency for your home's radiant system. The stainless steel heat exchanger provides up to 95% AFUE rating and allows you to enjoy high heating efficiency and lower energy costs.

Model BW9 Radiant Heat Reliability for Savings You Can Count On, West Town, Chicago, IL ac hvac heating rooftop units residentail and commercail  and air conditioning free estimates air conditioning service repair and installation Goodman, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

 This hard-working bryant  boiler is the ideal match for your home's radiant system, with a fuel-efficient aluminum heat exchanger that delivers 90% AFUE rating. You'll enjoy higher heating efficiency and lower energy costs.

Model BW5 Reliable Radiant Heat Plus Domestic Hot Water, Rogers Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairman service repair and installation Arcoaire, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Bryant boilers  are Engineered for efficiency and built cast-iron tough, this boiler is one of our most advanced oil-fueled radiant heat systems. It delivers quiet, even, draft-free warmth and an AFUE rating of up to 86.5% for unbeatable energy savings.

Model BW4 Radiant Heat Comfort with Cast Iron Reliability

Bryant boilers are Engineered for efficiency and built cast-iron tough, this boiler is one of our most advanced oil-fueled radiant heat systems. It delivers quiet, even, draft-free warmth and an AFUE rating of up to 86.5% for unbeatable energy savings. Model BW3 Radiant Heat Versatility for Reliable Home Comfort

Bryant boilers are Our most versatile gas-fired, radiant heat system, engineered with an up to 84.4% AFUE rating for outstanding energy efficiency. Rugged cast-iron construction and compact design make it a value-add fit for any home.Up to 84.4% AFUE Cast iron heat exchangerGas-fired models Stainless steel/titanium alloy composite burners Fiberglass insulated casing Small, compact design 5-year parts limited warranty and a 20-year parts limited warranty on heat exchanger sections, Winnetka, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  specailists, service repair and installation Trane, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Lochinvar® has taken the fire-tube concept in an innovative new direction with the

CREST® modulating-condensing boiler. With sizes that range from 1.5 to 3.5 million

Btu/hr, you finally have the opportunity to utilize Lochinvar leading-edge technology

in your largest applications. With thermal efficiencies up to 99% in low water temperature

applications, CREST is positioned to provide exceptional energy-saving performance.  Wicker Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates  furnace service repair and installation Lennox, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

The advanced CREST introduces a combustion system with a unique burner design with

up to 25:1 turndown. The burner fires into an array of 316L stainless steel fire-tubes that

CREST communicates seamlessly and in real time with building management systems

by utilizing an on-board Modbus protocol. The SMART TOUCH™ control has a builtin

cascading feature that communicates with up to eight units, providing total command

without an external control or complex and expensive control logic programming by the

Lochinvar’s commitment to research and development once again brings

innovation to the industry! The SYNC™ Commercial Boiler combines stainless

steel heat exchanger technology with Modulating Condensing combustion to

deliver thermal efficiencies as high as 98% in low-temperature applications. River North, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates specailists, service repair and installation Payne, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

With models at 1.0, 1.3 and 1.5 million BTU/hr inputs, SYNC will serve a

large range of commercial applications and add the “green” touch that building

SYNC also reaches new levels of innovation with SMART TOUCH™…

touchscreen technology that puts total operational control at your fingertips!

With SMART TOUCH, it’s easier than ever to set up a perfectly synchronized

“green” system, and access a complete onboard database of real-time operational

data and performance history. Other features in SYNC include space-saving footprints, direct-vent design with

intake and exhaust runs up to 100 feet, and a built-in cascading sequencer for up

The KNIGHT® XL, engineered with Lochinvar’s exclusive SMART SYSTEM™ control

and an array of other innovative features, places it far ahead of any commercial heating

boiler in its class. It promises and delivers ultimate ease of installation and maintenance.

With up to 94.6% thermal efficiency, low-NOx emissions and a fully modulating burner,

Five modulating/condensing stainless steel KNIGHT XL boilers are available with

399,999–800,000 Btu/hr inputs and remarkably small space-saving footprints. All are

equipped for direct-vent installation with air intake and exhaust runs up to 100 feet

using PVC, CPVC or AL29-4C vent materials. This range of choices is ideal for light duty

applications such as small hotels, schools and office buildings. For higher-demand

applications, up to eight KNIGHT XL units can be installed utilizing the built-in cascading

sequencer to deliver up to 6.4 million Btu/hr heating capacity

Copper-finned tube, non-condensing appliances are the

Lochinvar gas fired boilers, Sheridan Park, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates repairman service repair and installation Tappan, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company

Boiler is of the two-pass, scotch type, built and stamped in accordance with the requirements of the ASME Code, and listed by the National Board of Boilers and Pressure Vessel Inspectors.

McDonnell Miller Combination Pump Controller and Primary Low Water Cutoff. Completely Wired and Piped for Service Connections.  Fully Modulating Burner Operation. Premium 2” Thick High-Density Insulation.  “Off-the-Shelf” Industry Standard Parts Used Where Possible for Serviceability. Probe Type Auxiliary Low Water Cutoff. Solid State Honeywell Combination Pressure Control, Automatic Operating Control, and High Limit Manual Reset Control.Exceeds Industry Standards for Heating Surface Area for Exceptional Efficiency. Pressure Tested to 1.5X Operating Pressures, Forest Glen, Chicago, IL ac hvac rooftop units residentail and commercail  heating and air conditioning free estimates serviceman, service repair and installation Trane, azrikam the price is right heating and air conditioning ac hvac  company