AngelaK
ArboristSite Lurker
I just set up my memberships to the group here as we speak so I'm sorry if anyone has already brought up points that I am asking about right nw. I have a central boiler 5036. It was installed into my house around 08/09 by my ex husband and he has since left. I have been managing on my own with it for about 5 winters now but I feel like I'm not able to get the optimum performance from it. Or maybe I am and just want confirmation. Also, please don't be harsh as some issues or questions are just not things I've thought about or were deemed necessary before this <insert women jokes here>.
1. I was not in a hurry to start it up this season as I will be traveling for a week in the beginning of December and didn't want to bother my neighbors with it. In the past I was lectured about leaving it off for a period of time in the winter due to the uncirculating water inside freezing and causing a pipe to rupture. How real is that scenario and if the night temp is below freezing but the day temp is above freezing for the entire time I will be gone, should I worry? Is there a magic number of days at a certain temp that could help guide me.
2. It seems like every year I get more wood and every year I blow through it faster than the last. I try to keep a balance so that I'm not putting too much in there so that it is just wasting but enough that it gets me about 12 hours or so. I have also learned to keep the wood pulled towards the door since if it is at the back it is essentially wasted heat. I also feel like round pieces last longer than split. I burn primarily hardwood and except for the beginning of the season, keep a decent ash bed. Thoughts on split vs unsplit.
3. I was blissfully unaware of the need for adding PH controller to the water. I have to periodically add water tot he stove and never gave it a thought that I need to put additives in as well until a friend mentioned it at the end of last season. Looking for guidance on this.
4. How necessary is the powder to control the buildup. I am not in a great habit of adding this and do it about once a week, more often if I happen to be adding more pine than usual. At the end of the season I clean out the ash and try to scrape away the buildup on the inside. Tips on this process are appreciated as well as I just basically scrape the inside with a shovel.
5. Has anyone had issues with the circulator fan. I called the supplier once about it and they said to just give it a couple good thumps with a mallet and tat should get it going again. It does, just seems like a bigger issue to me and if they've had to answer this question before, it must be common and therefore no cause for alarm?
Thanks for your input!!
Angela
1. I was not in a hurry to start it up this season as I will be traveling for a week in the beginning of December and didn't want to bother my neighbors with it. In the past I was lectured about leaving it off for a period of time in the winter due to the uncirculating water inside freezing and causing a pipe to rupture. How real is that scenario and if the night temp is below freezing but the day temp is above freezing for the entire time I will be gone, should I worry? Is there a magic number of days at a certain temp that could help guide me.
2. It seems like every year I get more wood and every year I blow through it faster than the last. I try to keep a balance so that I'm not putting too much in there so that it is just wasting but enough that it gets me about 12 hours or so. I have also learned to keep the wood pulled towards the door since if it is at the back it is essentially wasted heat. I also feel like round pieces last longer than split. I burn primarily hardwood and except for the beginning of the season, keep a decent ash bed. Thoughts on split vs unsplit.
3. I was blissfully unaware of the need for adding PH controller to the water. I have to periodically add water tot he stove and never gave it a thought that I need to put additives in as well until a friend mentioned it at the end of last season. Looking for guidance on this.
4. How necessary is the powder to control the buildup. I am not in a great habit of adding this and do it about once a week, more often if I happen to be adding more pine than usual. At the end of the season I clean out the ash and try to scrape away the buildup on the inside. Tips on this process are appreciated as well as I just basically scrape the inside with a shovel.
5. Has anyone had issues with the circulator fan. I called the supplier once about it and they said to just give it a couple good thumps with a mallet and tat should get it going again. It does, just seems like a bigger issue to me and if they've had to answer this question before, it must be common and therefore no cause for alarm?
Thanks for your input!!
Angela