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Rusty water spilling from oil furnace Quarterdeck 03-24-2007
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Posted by Quarterdeck on March 24, 2007, 4:51 pm


My 30-yr old Van Wert oil furnace is intermittantly leaking a stream
of VERY rusty water (2-3 quarts) across the utility room floor. This
leak doesn't seem related to the circulator pumps or the oil burner's
firing. It's happened twice now in 2 weeks. The boiler pressure is
fine (it's on automatic refill). I never touch the house thermostat,
so that's not triggering it. This spillage is not affecting the heat
for the house, but I'm wondering what's wrong? The water seems to be
coming out of the right front corner of the furnace unit, at the
base.

Could the heating coil inside the boiler be leaking? If so, can the
coil simply be replaced, or must I get a whole new furnace? If the
coil actually can be replaced, would that be worth it? Are there
other internal parts of this furnace that might be ready to also go
bad? I'm a 62-yr old woman, and I'm afraid the repairman will play on
my ignorance of the mechanics involved here, and insist that a whole
new furnace is needed, when in fact, a few hundred dollars of repair
work might also provide an effective solution. Would appreciate some
advice on this from others who may have dealt with this same problem.
Thanks!


Posted by RBM on March 24, 2007, 5:05 pm


What you have there is a boiler, not a furnace. It could have a crack in it
or a leak between the sections that make up the unit,especially since your
leak seems to be under the jacket, and not visible. Check with the company
that services the unit, then decide how to proceed



> My 30-yr old Van Wert oil furnace is intermittantly leaking a stream
> of VERY rusty water (2-3 quarts) across the utility room floor. This
> leak doesn't seem related to the circulator pumps or the oil burner's
> firing. It's happened twice now in 2 weeks. The boiler pressure is
> fine (it's on automatic refill). I never touch the house thermostat,
> so that's not triggering it. This spillage is not affecting the heat
> for the house, but I'm wondering what's wrong? The water seems to be
> coming out of the right front corner of the furnace unit, at the
> base.
>
> Could the heating coil inside the boiler be leaking? If so, can the
> coil simply be replaced, or must I get a whole new furnace? If the
> coil actually can be replaced, would that be worth it? Are there
> other internal parts of this furnace that might be ready to also go
> bad? I'm a 62-yr old woman, and I'm afraid the repairman will play on
> my ignorance of the mechanics involved here, and insist that a whole
> new furnace is needed, when in fact, a few hundred dollars of repair
> work might also provide an effective solution. Would appreciate some
> advice on this from others who may have dealt with this same problem.
> Thanks!
>



Posted by Srgnt Billko on March 24, 2007, 5:53 pm



> My 30-yr old Van Wert oil furnace is intermittantly leaking a stream
> of VERY rusty water (2-3 quarts) across the utility room floor. This
> leak doesn't seem related to the circulator pumps or the oil burner's
> firing. It's happened twice now in 2 weeks. The boiler pressure is
> fine (it's on automatic refill). I never touch the house thermostat,
> so that's not triggering it. This spillage is not affecting the heat
> for the house, but I'm wondering what's wrong? The water seems to be
> coming out of the right front corner of the furnace unit, at the
> base.
>
> Could the heating coil inside the boiler be leaking? If so, can the
> coil simply be replaced, or must I get a whole new furnace? If the
> coil actually can be replaced, would that be worth it? Are there
> other internal parts of this furnace that might be ready to also go
> bad? I'm a 62-yr old woman, and I'm afraid the repairman will play on
> my ignorance of the mechanics involved here, and insist that a whole
> new furnace is needed, when in fact, a few hundred dollars of repair
> work might also provide an effective solution. Would appreciate some
> advice on this from others who may have dealt with this same problem.
> Thanks!
>

30 years old ? I wouldn't hesitate - just replace it. Newer ones are much
more efficient and will pay you back in several years.



Posted by Jackson on March 26, 2007, 12:19 am



> My 30-yr old Van Wert oil furnace is intermittantly leaking a stream
> of VERY rusty water (2-3 quarts) across the utility room floor. This
> leak doesn't seem related to the circulator pumps or the oil burner's
> firing. It's happened twice now in 2 weeks. The boiler pressure is
> fine (it's on automatic refill). I never touch the house thermostat,
> so that's not triggering it. This spillage is not affecting the heat
> for the house, but I'm wondering what's wrong? The water seems to be
> coming out of the right front corner of the furnace unit, at the
> base.
>
> Could the heating coil inside the boiler be leaking? If so, can the
> coil simply be replaced, or must I get a whole new furnace? If the
> coil actually can be replaced, would that be worth it? Are there
> other internal parts of this furnace that might be ready to also go
> bad? I'm a 62-yr old woman, and I'm afraid the repairman will play on
> my ignorance of the mechanics involved here, and insist that a whole
> new furnace is needed, when in fact, a few hundred dollars of repair
> work might also provide an effective solution. Would appreciate some
> advice on this from others who may have dealt with this same problem.
> Thanks!
>

Two things to check

1. Is that rusty water for sure or is it a water/antifreeze mix?

2. Is it possible the water leak is coming from the temperature-and-pressure
relief valve drain pipe and then running with the pitch of the floor to make
it look like it is coming from under the front of the boiler?



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