This is to the guys that say they can install their own boilers, and some of us are just trying to make it sound harder than it is.

I saw a Munchkin boiler the other day that had melted inside the cover. Not because it got too hot, but because it had flames coming out of the air intake. The Rep says that this is due to the combustion not being set up properly. Well I know for fact that 99.99% of all homeowners do not own a combustion analyzer to set this up. This boiler could have burnt the house down, or killed someone, as there are no safetys to prevent what happened. The rep also claims that any time you take the unit apart (clean the unit) it needs to be recalibrated.

Internet wholesalers beware.

Pictures are worth 1000 words.


Funny the Munchie could even sustain combustion at low fire. Assuming that would be the key point, and time that an intake roll out would occur. Maybe roll out sensor in the intake future models warranted?

Excellent post though food for thought for future DIY's, and past ones to reconsidered a look over by a compitent professional.

Gordy

quote:

Originally posted by RPA Guest:
Well I know for fact that 99.99% of all homeowners do not own a combustion analyzer to set this up.

So what?
Just call your gas company and have a guy with professional equipment do the combustion analysis.

The gas company doesn't set up boilers. Not mine, anyway. You're missing the point, as most people won't call someone else, and it won't get done.

I mean really, who cares if a well meaning guy who wanted to save a few bucks kills his wife and kids because he figured that it can't be that big of a deal. It fired up and ran, it must be fine, right? Odds are you won't be one of the few people from your area that die each year do to malfunctioning heating equipment. I'm sure you'll be fine. We all know it's well worth the small risk of harming yourself or your family to save a few bucks. Heating licenses are just a racket so the government can make some extra money with fees and such.

many gas people won't touch boilers that do not have a license behind the install, because their license is on the line if they touch it and anything goes wrong.

I don't even like people buying boilers on the internet: I've seen too many struggle to get them installed, serviced, and problems corrected. It's not worth the risk and the savings... if ANYTHING goes wrong the best case scenario is likely to be that you'll pay more in the end than you would have with a quoted install.

not that licensed pros are all perfect either, but at least in that case you have recourse and if you spend any time doing homework you should be able to work with a decent one.

as one of the most DIY friendly guys in this industry, I have to agree completely that boiler installs are not DIY projects. not that it's impossible; it's just riskier, and the risks are not just deadly and obvious, but also include long term, subtle health problems, poor performance, and shortened heat source lifespan.