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InspectAPedia ® Home HEATING SYSTEMS AIR CONDITIONING & HEAT PUMP SYSTEMS BACKDRAFTING HEATING EQUIPMENT BACKUP HEAT for HEAT PUMPS BANGING HEATING PIPES RADIATORS BAROMETRIC DAMPERS BASEBOARD HEAT BLOWER FAN OPERATION & TESTING BOILERS, HEATING BOOKSTORE - InspectAPedia BTU USAGE MONITORS CARBON MONOXIDE - CO CIRCULATOR PUMPS & RELAYS COMBUSTION AIR CONDENSING BOILERS/FURNACES DIAGNOSE & FIX AIR CONDITIONER / HEAT PUMP DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-BOILER DIAGNOSE & FIX HEATING PROBLEMS-FURNACE DIRECT VENTS / SIDE WALL VENTS DRAFT REGULATORS, DAMPERS, BOOSTERS DUCT SYSTEM & DUCT DEFECTS ELECTRIC HEAT, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR ELECTRIC MOTOR DIAGNOSTIC GUIDE FAN, AIR HANDLER BLOWER UNIT FLOODED HEATING EQUIPMENT REPAIR FLUE SIZE SPECIFICATIONS FURNACES, HEATING GAS BURNER Flame & Noise Defects GAS PIPING, VALVES, CONTROLS GEOTHERMAL HEATING SYSTEMS HEAT PUMPS, DIAGNOSIS, REPAIR HEATING COST SAVINGS METHODS HEATING OIL PIPING TROUBLES HEATING OIL TANKS HEATING SYSTEM NOISES HEATING SYSTEM TYPES LP & Natural Gas Safety Hazards MANUALS & PARTS GUIDES - HVAC MIXING / ANTI-SCALD VALVES MOTOR OVERLOAD RESET SWITCH NOISE, HEATING SYSTEMS ODORS FROM HEATING SYSTEMS OIL BURNERS OIL FILTERS on HEATING EQUIPMENT OIL ODORS, LEAKY OIL TANK PIPING OIL SPILL CLEANUP / PREVENTION OIL TANKS PLASTIC HEATER VENT PUFFBACKS, OIL BURNER RADIANT HEAT RADIATORS RELIEF VALVE LEAKS Reset Switch - Heater Primary Control RESET SWITCH - ELECTRIC MOTOR Reset Switch - Stack Relays SAFETY, HEATING INSPECTION SAFETY RECALLS, Chimneys, Vents, Heaters SOLAR HEATING SYSTEM DESIGNS SOOT on OIL FIRED HEATING EQUIPMENT STEAM HEATING SYSTEMS TANKLESS COILS THERMOSTATS, HEATING / COOLING VIDEO GUIDES: Heating System Videos WATER HEATERS WINTERIZE A BUILDING WOOD, COAL STOVES & FIREPLACES WOOD STOVE SAFETY ZONE VALVES    More Information |
This article lists significant Oil-Fired Heating boiler (hot water or hydronic heat) defects, definitions, and home inspection education topics. This article series, beginning at BUILDING DEFECTS LISTS, provides lists of common building defects and basic defect knowledge that also outline recommended curriculum content for home inspector education. The building defects and inspection points listed in these articles also guide homeowners and home buyers to building areas that merit careful attention and often point areas of safety concern or important maintenance and repair tasks. Green links show where you are. © Copyright 2013 InspectAPedia.com, All Rights Reserved. Author Daniel Friedman. Home Inspection Education Curriculum - Heating Boiler Defects
Also see BOILERS, HEATING, BOILER NOISE SMOKE ODORS, BOILER OPERATING PROBLEMS 4.3 Hot Water Heating Boilers - Hydronic Heating System Defects List4.3.1 Knowledge Base for Oil Fired Heating Boilers1. Describe the function of a hot water (hydronic) heating system. 2. Describe open and closed heating systems. 3. Describe four types of distribution piping (series loop, 1-pipe system, 2-pipe system - direct return, 2-pipe system - reverse return). 4. List the materials and components of a typical hot water heating system including fuel storage and supply system, burner, combustion air supply, venting, cabinet/body, heat exchanger, controls, expansion tank, pump (circulators), pipe, radiator, convector, baseboard, radiant heating. 5. Describe the features of adequate installation and repair technique for hot water heating systems. 6. Outline the advantages and disadvantages of hot watering heating relative to forced air heating. 7. Outline the differences between boilers and furnaces, including the normal operating cycles. 8. Define the following terms with respect to hot water boilers: convection, conduction, radiation, super heated water, pressure relief valve, high temperature limit switch, low water cut-out, backflow preventer, pressure reducing valve (automatic water makeup), automatic air vent, primary control pump(circulator), zone control, outdoor air thermostat, flow control valve, isolating valve, tankless coil, radiator bleed valve, radiator control valve, air separator (air scoop), aquastat, open expansion tank, closed expansion tank, diaphragm (bladder) expansion tank, side arm heater, indirect water heater, mixing valve(tempering valve), condensing boilers. 9. Outline the life expectancies of boilers made of various materials. 10. Identify the codes or standards which apply to hot water heating systems in your area. 4.3.2 Inspection Skills for Oil Fired Heating Boilers1. Describe the inspection procedure for hot water heating systems. 2. Identify the following common defects listed on the next page. 3. Describe the implication of each defect. 4. Identify safety issues for the inspector and occupant of the home (steam explosion, combustion product poisoning, electric shock, physical injury). 5. Communicate findings to client verbally and in writing, recommending corrective action where needed. Oil Fired HOT WATER Heating BOILER TYPICAL DEFECTS ListsHEAT EXCHANGERS THERMOSTATS • Clogged • Heat anticipator problems • Excess temperature rise • Damaged • Leaks • Dirty • Rust • Loose • Not level CABINETS • Poor adjustment or calibration • Poor location • Combustible clearance • Mechanical damage EXPANSION TANKS • Missing components • Obstructed air intake • Leaks • Rust • Poor discharge location for open tank • Scorching • Poor location for tank • Rust AIR VENTS • Too small • Waterlogged • Inoperative, damaged isolation valve JDG autofill mehanisms JDG • Leaking CIRCULATORS • Missing • Obstructed • Hot • Inoperative PRIMARY CONTROLS • Leaks • Noisy • Inoperative • Set incorrectly PRESSURE RELIEF VALVES PUMP CONTROLS • Missing • No piped extension • Inoperative • Pipe too small • Set incorrectly • Pipe threaded, capped or corroded at the bottom ZONE CONTROLS • Pipe dripping or leaking • Poor location • Inoperative • Set wrong • Leaking • Wrong size OUTDOOR AIR THERMOSTATS HIGH TEMPERATURE LIMIT SWITCHES • Inoperative • Defective, not wired correctly • Missing FLOW CONTROL VALVES • Set too high • Inoperative LOW WATER CUTOUTS • Leaks • Inoperative ISOLATING VALVES • Leaking • Inoperative BACKFLOW PREVENTERS • Leaks • Rust • Installed backwards • Leaking • Missing PRESSURE REDUCING VALVES on Oil Fired Heating BoilersMID AND HIGH EFFICIENCY BOILERS, Oil Fired Defects• Inoperative • Cabinet problems • Installed backwards • Combustion air and venting problems • Leaking • Condensate handling problems • Missing • Fuel supply and burner problems • Set too low • Heat exchanger problems • Ignition problems PIPES • Induced draft and forced draft fan problems • Crimped • Safety and operating control problems • Leaks • No insulation RADIANT HEATING, Oil Fired Boilers • Poor support • Rust • Balancing valve problems • Too small • Bleed valve problems • Cool rooms or parts of rooms – inoperative? RADIATORS, CONVECTORS • Leak AND BASEBOARDS TANKLESS COILS • Balancing valve problems • Bleed valve problems • Leak • Cold • Rust • Damaged baseboard fins • Poor hot water pressure or flow (clogged?) • Leaks • Tempering valve – missing, set wrong, defective • Missing • Obstructed airflow • Poor location • Rust • Too small (cool rooms) OIL BURNERS AND VENTING, Typical Defects ListOIL TANKS REFRACTORY/FIRE POT • Empty • Crumbling, cracked, collapsed • Leakage • Saturated • Not suitable for outdoor use • Rusting PRIMARY CONTROLLERS • Underground • Unsafe location • Inoperative • Missing FILL AND VENT PIPES • Tripped • Abandoned BAROMETRIC DAMPERS/DRAFT REGULATORS • Damaged or corroded • Leak • Improper location • Missing caps • Inadequate draft air • Inoperative OIL SUPPLY LINES • Misadjusted maladjusted JDG • Missing • Corrosion, damage, crimped • Rusting • Leak • Spillage • Undersized • Unprotected VENTING SYSTEMS OIL FILTERS • Improper material • Inadequate combustible clearance • Dirty • Poor support • Leak • Poor slope • Missing • Poor connections • Poor manifolding COMBUSTION AIR • Poor insertion into chimney • Rust, dirty, obstructed • Inadequate combustion air • Vent connector too big, too small • Vent connector too long BURNERS MID EFFICIENCY OIL FURNACES • Dirty • Incomplete combustion – soot • Corroded vents • Inoperative • Excess temperature rise • Leaking • Poor vent location, arrangement • Short cycling • Reliability • Too close to combustibles • Vibrating, noisy Readers should see HEATING SYSTEMS for our complete list of articles on this topic. Also see HOME & BUILDING INSPECTORS & INSPECTION METHODS. Use the Search Box at the top or bottom of these pages to find in-depth information about building, energy savings, and indoor environment inspection, diagnosis and repair at this website. Watch out: these inspection lists do not list all possible defects for the systems discussed, and not all home or building inspectors will examine all of the items listed here. CONTACT us to suggest corrections or additions to articles at this website. Also see BOILERS, HEATING, BOILER NOISE SMOKE ODORS, BOILER OPERATING PROBLEMS These curriculae and building defect lists are based on smilar curriculum documents first prepared by Joe Scaduto, an ASHI member who prepared course material for Northeastern University's Building Inspection Certificate program in 1988, subsequently by DF, InspectApedia's editor, for New York University ca 1988 and later, with others, recommended to ASHI, the American Society of Home Inspectors. ASHI did not adopt this material though currently that association as well as others offer extensive HOME INSPECTOR EDUCATION material. The curriculum and lists of defects are informed by additional analysis of the process of home inspection that was developed beginning Calgary, AB for Canadian and U.S. home inspector education and certification examinations in 1997. Other early contributors to home inspection education in the U.S. and Canada include Dr. Jess Aronstein, Alan Carson, Mike Casey, Mark Cramer, John Cox, Dwight Barnett, Douglas Hansen, Rick Heyl, Larry Hoytt, Bill Merrill, Kevin O'Malley, Dennis Robitalille, Keith Peddie, Pat Porzio, Roger Robinson. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)... Ask a Question or Search InspectApediaUse the search box below to ask a question or to search the InspectApedia.com website. Ask a Question or Enter Search Terms in the InspectApedia search box just below. Technical Reviewers & ReferencesRelated Topics, found near the top of this page suggest articles closely related to this one.
Books & Articles on Building & Environmental Inspection, Testing, Diagnosis, & Repair
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Carson, Dunlop & Associates Ltd.,
The Home Reference Book - the Encyclopedia of Homes