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Gravity or octopus furnace (C) InspectApedia.com daniel friedmanDetailed Indoor & Boiler/Furnace Room Procedures for Inspecting Heating Systems

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How to inspect a heating system for defects, part 2:

This document presents the indoor steps for inspecting residential heating systems with focus on heating boilers and furnaces, on assuring completeness, accuracy, and on maximum heating system defect detection.

The heating system inspection methodology involved is intended to be generalized to the forensic diagnostic inspection of any complex system in order to have the highest probability of detecting important safety or operating defects.

This sounds fancier than intended. Our object is to use an organized procedure for inspecting for defects, without losing the ability to discover unexpected problems as well. The methodology discussed includes both details specific to heating boilers (the full outline at "Contents") and more general complex-system inspection methods (listed immediately below).

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Inside Heating System Observations - what do we look for when inspecting heating system components inside the building?

Viewpoint #2--Distant view of the heating equipment from the living area.

Heating Inspection Procedures When In the Living Area

These observations and conclusions can be made quickly without needing to ask anyone anything, as soon as you enter the building:

Type of Heat Distribution

ASHI 9.1.A.7 the presence of an installed heat source in each room. ASHI 9.3.D.4 The inspector is not required to observe the uniformity of heat supply to various rooms.

© Copyright Daniel Friedman 2008- 2015 all rights reserved -- Tri-State ASHI Seminar -- Last update 08/03/2010 - first presentation November 6-7, 1993

Heating Inspection Procedures When In the Utility Area

Viewpoint #3--Distant broad view of the heating equipment from the utility room. The equipment is directly in view but not yet closely examined.

ASHI 9.1.A. The Inspector shall observe permanently installed heating systems including: [items are listed later]
ASHI 9.2.A.2 The inspector shall describe heating equipment and distribution type

  1. Identify/confirm type of equipment
  2. Housekeeping, location of combustibles
  3. Air supply - see COMBUSTION AIR REQUIREMENTS
  4. Sooty operation, odors, noises
  5. Evidence of recent maintenance
  6. Service tags vs filth atop the equipment or in the chimney was it really serviced?

...

Continue reading at HEATING BOILER INSPECTION GUIDE or see HEATING FURNACE INSPECTION GUIDE or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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Citations & Reviewers

In addition to any citations in the article above, a full list is available on request.

  • Domestic and Commercial Oil Burners, Charles H. Burkhardt, McGraw Hill Book Company, New York 3rd Ed 1969.
  • National Fuel Gas Code (Z223.1) $16.00 and National Fuel Gas Code Handbook (Z223.2) $47.00 American Gas Association (A.G.A.), 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209 also available from National Fire Protection Association, Batterymarch Park, Quincy, MA 02269. Fundamentals of Gas Appliance Venting and Ventilation, 1985, American Gas Association Laboratories, Engineering Services Department. American Gas Association, 1515 Wilson Boulevard, Arlington, VA 22209. Catalog #XHO585. Reprinted 1989.
  • The Steam Book, 1984, Training and Education Department, Fluid Handling Division, ITT [probably out of print, possibly available from several home inspection supply companies] Fuel Oil and Oil Heat Magazine, October 1990, offers an update,
  • The Lost Art of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, 516-579-3046 FAX
  • Principles of Steam Heating, Dan Holohan, technical editor of Fuel Oil and Oil Heat magazine, 389 Passaic Ave., Fairfield, NJ 07004 ($12.+1.25 postage/handling).
  • "Residential Steam Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
  • "Residential Hydronic (circulating hot water) Heating Systems", Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
  • "Warm Air Heating Systems". Instructional Technologies Institute, Inc., 145 "D" Grassy Plain St., Bethel, CT 06801 800/227-1663 [home inspection training material] 1987
  • Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning Volume I, Heating Fundamentals,
  • Boilers, Boiler Conversions, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23389-4 (v. 1) Volume II, Oil, Gas, and Coal Burners, Controls, Ducts, Piping, Valves, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23390-7 (v. 2) Volume III, Radiant Heating, Water Heaters, Ventilation, Air Conditioning, Heat Pumps, Air Cleaners, James E. Brumbaugh, ISBN 0-672-23383-5 (v. 3) or ISBN 0-672-23380-0 (set) Special Sales Director, Macmillan Publishing Co., 866 Third Ave., New York, NY 10022. Macmillan Publishing Co., NY
  • Installation Guide #200 for Residential Hydronic Heating Systems, The Hydronics Institute, 35 Russo Place, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922
  • The ABC's of Retention Head Oil Burners, National Association of Oil Heat Service Managers, TM 115, National Old Timers' Association of the Energy Industry, PO Box 168, Mineola, NY 11501. (Excellent tips on spotting problems on oil-fired heating equipment. Booklet.)
  • In addition to citations & references found in this article, see the research citations given at the end of the related articles found at our suggested

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