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Heating Problem Diagnosis: Heating System Inspection, Repair, Maintenance HeatAPedia © Enter your search terms Submit search form   Search This Website - InspectAPedia.com

This website answers most questions about all types of heating systems and gives important inspection, safety, and repair advice. The heating system articles provided at this website explain how to inspect and detect defects and hazards on heating systems, boilers, furnaces, and other equipment. Methods for saving on heating cost and on improving heating safety are included. Heating safety hazards such as carbon monoxide gas leaks, unsafe furnaces, furnace and boiler recalls are addressed. Potentially very costly environmental hazards such as leaky oil tanks are explained in depth. Other environmental and indoor air quality topics affected by residential and light commercial heating systems are explored. Criticism and content suggestions are invited from heating service technicians, home inspectors, and home owners. © Copyright 2008 Daniel Friedman, All Rights Reserved. Information Accuracy & Bias Pledge is at below-left. Use the links at page left to navigate this document or to go to Other Website Topics. Green links at left show where you are in our document & website.

Heating System Inspection Methods, Diagnosis, Safety, Repairs

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How to Inspect Heating Systems

• Heating System Inspection & Repair Procedures for Oil-Fired Heating Boilers and Furnaces Detailed step by step approaches for inspecting complex systems] - this is our detailed heating system inspection course

Heating System Inspection & Diagnosis Detailed Articles

• Asbestos Paper Duct Insulation
• Blueray Heating Boilers/Furnaces Safety Recall by the US CPSC, with additional history, photos, and technical details; Blue Flame Blue Ray
• Boiler Controls & Switches: a description of heating boiler controls and switches, what they do, how to set them, what problems to watch for
• Boiler Leaks, Corrosion, Stains: where to look for leaks on heating boilers, which leaks are important, dangerous, costly, & what to do about leaks at a heating boiler
• Boilers, Heating Inspection, Diagnosis, Repair
• Boiler Operation Details, 39 steps in how a heating boiler works
• Boiler Operating Problem Diagnosis examples of defects on hot water heating boiler systems and how to recognize them
• Carbon Dioxide Gas Toxicity
• Carbon Monoxide Gas Toxicity, exposure limits, building inspection for CO hazards
• Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Warning - Chimney Safety: US CPSC safety warning [Home Heating System Should Be Checked for proper venting and for CO Carbon Monoxide Hazards - clarifying notes by DJF]
• Chimneys & Flues - Asbestos Transite Pipe>
• DIAGNOSE DARK STAINS on Indoor Surfaces, how to diagnose stains on walls, floors, carpets, and how to determine the stain source
• Ducts - Asbestos Transite Pipe
• Dust from HVAC? An Investigation of Indoor Dust Debris Blamed on a Heating/Cooling System Reveals Carpet Dust
• Goodman Furnace High Temperature Plastic Vent HTPV safety recall US CPSC notice
• Heating Cost Reduction Advice: How to Save on Home Heating Costs - Book Review & Actual Heating Savings and Energy Savings Tips for homeowners and service technicians
• Heating System Inspection & Repair Procedures for Oil-Fired Heating Boilers and Furnaces Detailed step by step approaches for inspecting complex systems]
• Heating Loss Diagnosis: How to diagnose loss of heat, when the oil burner, boiler, or furnace won't run, or when the system runs but heat is not delivered to the living area
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Gas Fuel Piping or Tank Faults Basic advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Buried Oil Tanks, Basic home buyer advice - home inspection report language suggestions
• Home Inspection Report Language Library: Defects in Oil Tank Installations, Tanks, and Heating Oil Piping
• How to Calculate Heat Loss in a Building
• Lennox Pulse Furnace Safety Inspection/Warranty Program: Carbon Monoxide Warning
• Oil Burner Noise, Smoke, Odor Diagnosis: how to diagnose oil burner noises, smoke, odors, sooting, and which conditions are potentially dangerous, requiring prompt service or repair
• Oil Tanks - The Oil Storage Tank Information Website: Buried or Above Ground Oil Tank Inspection, Testing, Cleanup, Abandonment of Oil Tanks
• Oil Tanks Above Ground, UL Standards, guidance for home owners, buyers, and inspectors
• Radiant Heat Floor Mistakes to Avoid
• Plastic Heating Vent Pipe & Other Heating Safety Recall Notices
• Safety During Heating Inspections guide and tips
• Stain Diagnosis on Indoor Surfaces, how to diagnose stains on walls, floors, carpets, and how to determine the stain source
• Thermal Tracking & Stains & Signs of Heat Loss how to recognize thermal tracking or thermal bridging & how to diagnose Stains on Ceilings & Walls, Building Air Leaks & Insulation Defects, as well as other indoor air quality or building concerns
• Transite Pipe Chimneys & Flues - Safety Hazards of deteriorated or blocked asbestos transite chimneys
• Weil McLain Model GV Gas Boiler/gas valve CPSC recall/repair

Critical Defects

Critical defects which an inspector should not fail to detect when examining any building component or system are defects which form an immediate, significant safety hazard or defects which are quite likely to involve significant repair or replacement cost, and which involve components or systems which are necessary to occupy and use the building. Methods for detection and diagnosis of these defects are discussed in this document and in its references. Suggestions for inclusion or exclusion of items in this list are invited - see the link "Contact Us".

Because the heating system inspection and related topics discussed here cover a rather broad range, I have not attempted (yet) to list specific critical defects on this summary page. However any inspection of the condition of heating equipment in buildings must include careful attention to:

• Life Safety Hazards such as evidence of unsafe chimneys, missing or damaged safety devices (relief valves, emergency shutoffs), and visual evidence of dangerous overheating or leaks. Responsibly conducted, an inspection of a gas-fired furnace, for example, might discover that the furnace has been exposed to severe rust-producing conditions which risk an unsafe heat exchanger and a carbon monoxide hazard which could be fatal to building occupants. Even though the heat exchanger may not be visible, the contextual clues around the furnace, if they are visually obvious, should be translated into a level of concern by the inspector, and where appropriate, translated into a recommendation for action. This does not mean "failing" every furnace to be on the "safe side", it means responsible inspecting and reporting.
• Costly defects such as evidence of a heating system at or near the end of its life of safe, reliable operation, or evidence of a buried oil tank which is likely to be old and for which there is no record of leak testing, should be reported.

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Environmental Inspection, Testing, & Diagnosis On-Site IAQ, Gas, Air Testing, Mold Investigation, Sick Building Diagnosis, Lab Services, & Remediation Plan Preparation - indoor air quality testing, problem source determination, supporting lab work, written remediation plan addressing removal of environmental and other hazards and prevention of their recurrence.

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