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Furnace pressure valve leaking. Andrew 03-02-2007
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Posted by Andrew on March 2, 2007, 1:28 pm


The pressure overflow valve on my furnace is leaking. It's a gas
fired hot water radiator system. I recently replaced the corroded
original, thinking that that was the problem, but it is persisting.
Here are the symptoms: The pressure gauge on the unit shows 30psi
which is the burst point for the pressure valve, hence the leak. If I
trigger the valve and fill up a bucket with water, I can get the
pressure gauge down to around zero, but within an hour it's back up to
30psi. I think the problem may be that the water supply valve to the
furnace has failed, allowing water to get by and raise the pressure.
Does that sound right? It feels like there's water flowing in the
supply line after I trigger the pressure relief valve, but the supply
has a ball valve, and I thought those things never failed...Could
there be some grit or corrosion in it? I want to make sure I
eliminate other possibilities before I cut the valve out and replace
it.

Thanks, Andrew


AppliancePartsPros.com, Inc.
Posted by Speedy Jim on March 2, 2007, 1:52 pm


Andrew wrote:

> The pressure overflow valve on my furnace is leaking. It's a gas
> fired hot water radiator system. I recently replaced the corroded
> original, thinking that that was the problem, but it is persisting.
> Here are the symptoms: The pressure gauge on the unit shows 30psi
> which is the burst point for the pressure valve, hence the leak. If I
> trigger the valve and fill up a bucket with water, I can get the
> pressure gauge down to around zero, but within an hour it's back up to
> 30psi. I think the problem may be that the water supply valve to the
> furnace has failed, allowing water to get by and raise the pressure.
> Does that sound right? It feels like there's water flowing in the
> supply line after I trigger the pressure relief valve, but the supply
> has a ball valve, and I thought those things never failed...Could
> there be some grit or corrosion in it? I want to make sure I
> eliminate other possibilities before I cut the valve out and replace
> it.
>
> Thanks, Andrew
>

You could be on the right track.

A HWH Hydronic boiler may have an automatic
feed water valve, like:
http://www.cashacme.com/a41ab40.php

Or, it may be manually controlled with a valve.

Either way, there could be a leak which is over-
pressuring the boiler.

Trace the city water supply line to the boiler
and identify all the components.
If you are going to replace anything, you'll need
a way to shut the supply off. You'll also need
to drain the *entire* heating system unless there
is some isolation avlve present.

If it can wait, this job is better suited for Spring.

Jim

Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on March 2, 2007, 3:04 pm



> The pressure overflow valve on my furnace is leaking. It's a gas
> fired hot water radiator system. I recently replaced the corroded
> original, thinking that that was the problem, but it is persisting.
> Here are the symptoms: The pressure gauge on the unit shows 30psi
> which is the burst point for the pressure valve, hence the leak. If I
> trigger the valve and fill up a bucket with water, I can get the
> pressure gauge down to around zero, but within an hour it's back up to
> 30psi. I think the problem may be that the water supply valve to the
> furnace has failed, allowing water to get by and raise the pressure.
> Does that sound right? It feels like there's water flowing in the
> supply line after I trigger the pressure relief valve, but the supply
> has a ball valve, and I thought those things never failed...Could
> there be some grit or corrosion in it?

I've never seen a furnace with a pressure relief valve. All boilers have
them though. Furnaces heat air, boilers heat water or make steam.

Yes, it sounds like your regulator and fill valve are shot. I know of some
that are 50 years old and still working, but on my boiler, 7 years is a
stretch.

You say the ball vale is in line, but that is probably open for water to
self fill if needed. Temporarily, you may get buy turning it off. Unless,
or course, that is leaking by also. That can happen



Posted by Andrew on March 2, 2007, 4:59 pm


>
>
> > The pressure overflow valve on my furnace is leaking. It's a gas
> > fired hot water radiator system. I recently replaced the corroded
> > original, thinking that that was the problem, but it is persisting.
> > Here are the symptoms: The pressure gauge on the unit shows 30psi
> > which is the burst point for the pressure valve, hence the leak. If I
> > trigger the valve and fill up a bucket with water, I can get the
> > pressure gauge down to around zero, but within an hour it's back up to
> > 30psi. I think the problem may be that the water supply valve to the
> > furnace has failed, allowing water to get by and raise the pressure.
> > Does that sound right? It feels like there's water flowing in the
> > supply line after I trigger the pressure relief valve, but the supply
> > has a ball valve, and I thought those things never failed...Could
> > there be some grit or corrosion in it?
>
> I've never seen a furnace with a pressure relief valve. All boilers have
> them though. Furnaces heat air, boilers heat water or make steam.
>
> Yes, it sounds like your regulator and fill valve are shot. I know of some
> that are 50 years old and still working, but on my boiler, 7 years is a
> stretch.
>
> You say the ball vale is in line, but that is probably open for water to
> self fill if needed. Temporarily, you may get buy turning it off. Unless,
> or course, that is leaking by also. That can happen

Thanks for clearing up the furnace/boiler distinction. The ball valve
is in-line, and it is definitely closed. It always has been except
when I've re-filled the system after draining it. The cold water
from the city comes in through this ball valve to a tee that goes
*down* into the circulator pump and *up* to supply the radiators. Is
this ball valve different from the "regulator" and "fill valve"? Are
those two different things or the same thing? Here's the manual for
my unit. Figure 5 shows the plumbing configuration:

http://www.crownboiler.com/manuals/content/Residential_Boilers/Gas/Aruba%20(ABF-SPD,%20ABF-EID).pdf

Thanks, Andrew



Posted by Edwin Pawlowski on March 2, 2007, 10:25 pm



> Thanks for clearing up the furnace/boiler distinction. The ball valve
> is in-line, and it is definitely closed. It always has been except
> when I've re-filled the system after draining it. The cold water
> from the city comes in through this ball valve to a tee that goes
> *down* into the circulator pump and *up* to supply the radiators. Is
> this ball valve different from the "regulator" and "fill valve"? Are
> those two different things or the same thing? Here's the manual for
> my unit. Figure 5 shows the plumbing configuration:
>
>
http://www.crownboiler.com/manuals/content/Residential_Boilers/Gas/Aruba%20(ABF-SPD,%20ABF-EID).pdf
>
> Thanks, Andrew

Your system is a little different than mine. I looked at page 5 of the
instructions and it looks as though the water supply line is going into a
fitting at the expansion tank, or Filtrol tank. If it is typical of most,
there is a bladder inside that will absorb the water as it expands when
heated. When they go bad they fill up and the bladder no longer moves and
you get over pressure.

This shows some of the common parts of a filling system, including the Watts
regulator often used.
http://www.ccallis.com/expansion_tanks.htm



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