A design engineer invited me to a school building for a challenging project. I found an old boiler with several leaks and a tight budget. The system was a two-pipe system that circulated heated water during winter and chilled water during summer. The owner wanted lower fuel costs and a quicker changeover between heating and cooling.
On the older hydronic systems, replacing the existing boiler with a new one was pretty straightforward. The installer connected the new boiler to the existing flue, piping and electric. The newer high-efficiency boilers are much different and require some additional planning.
An electrician walked into the equipment room to diagnose and repair an electrical problem in the school. It didn't take long for the carbon monoxide inside the boiler room to fell the man. The source of the carbon monoxide leak was a faulty boiler installation.
Sherlock Holmes has always been one of my favorite fictional characters. I envied how he would notice each detail and use every one of his senses to solve the crime.
When I look at any replacement hydronic boiler project, my tenet is always to assume the existing system is installed improperly. I like to pretend I am a famous detective, such as Sherlock Holmes, and my job is to uncover the hidden mistakes.
When I parked my truck outside the boiler room, I saw a thick plume of steam chugging from a pipe on the outside wall. Right away, my spidey sense started to tingle.