Sometimes the gauge glass doesn't reflect reality

When we run across a steam boiler whose gauge glass doesn't seem to reflect what is actually going on in the boiler, we usually find this situation. Thats a plugged gauge glass valve port. This is generally caused by a lack of proper maintenance. They do have to be cleaned during the boiler service.

Leaves and vent pipes

We had an interesting service call recently where the plumbing vent goes sideways in the attic for a while before going through the roof. The owner started to complain of sewer smell in the house. What we eventually found was the horizontal section of venting in the attic was packed full of leaves. We had to cut the attic vent piping and install cleanouts in it in order to snake the vents. This probably would not have happened with the old code which required full size stacks, but the new code goes by minimum sized piping. In the picture you can see where we cut the pipe and the dark area in the middle of the white PVC pipe is a pack of wet leaves.

Steam boiler return water

We recently removed this steam boiler (which was the original coal boiler), for a new owner who is moving into this house. The coal boiler was still working when we removed it. Take a look at these return connections on the boiler. How was it the returning condensate was making it back to the boiler? This is the worst clogging of return push nipple ports that I had seen. Yet the beast was still working!

Baby Wipes

Paul was over at a house the other day and while servicing the boiler, noticed the floor drain was backed up. He snaked the drain and pulled out loads of baby wipes from the sewer. The homeowner said 'it says they are flushable on the box' !! Yup, they made it out of the toilet alright. But it gets better...she hadn't used them in years!! yes that is correct..see, just because they are flushable doesn't mean they will actually leave the house and get to the city sewer.