Slant Fin Boiler Leak

Slant Fin Boilers

• Founded in Coney Island, New York, in 1949, the Slant Fin Corporation manufactures and sells boilers, water heaters and baseboard heating systems. Within the boiler industry, the Slant Fin brand manufactures gas-, electric- and oil-powered boiler systems. Slant Fin boiler types include water- and steam-generated heating systems. In general, a boiler system uses water to carry heat throughout home via a piping system. Water boilers and steam boilers differ in that water acts as the heat-carrying medium for water boilers, while steam carries heat within a steam boiler system.

Water Levels

• As with any other brand of boiler system, Slant Fin boilers must maintain a certain water level for proper boiler operation. Boiler systems maintain a reservoir of water inside a tank that keeps water heated to a certain level. As steam boiler systems rely on evaporation processes to produce steam, water levels naturally decrease within the boiler tank. When a boiler leak exists, decreases in water levels exceed the normal range. These systems require ongoing monitoring of water levels to ensure proper system function.

  With water boiler systems, little to no water loss should occur since the same tank water circulates through a home’s piping system on an ongoing basis. So, if water levels drop below the manufacturer’s recommended level, a leak exists somewhere in the system.

Visible Leaks

• Slant Fin recommends boiler system owners perform visual inspections of boiler components on a monthly basis, according to the Slant Fin Concept 21 online user’s manual. Visible signs of water may appear around a boiler’s vent tubing. Water leakage or staining around tubing joints, or tubing that appears to sag, may also indicate water loss. Since the pipes leading to and from a boiler tank carry water on a repeated basis, leaks can develop in areas around loose-fitting pipe connector joints. As boiler systems operate under specific temperature and pressure settings, only a qualified service technician should attempt to make repairs on a boiler tank system.

Non-Visible Leaks

• Spotting non-visible leaks in a boiler system involves looking for areas where metal surfaces become discolored or corroded. During heating seasons, small leaks may quickly evaporate on hot boiler surfaces. And while no actual wet spot or water seepage is visible, repeated evaporations will leave water stains, corroded surfaces or discolored metal surfaces. Abnormal water level and water pressure readings may also indicate that a system leak exists. Leaks can form inside a boiler’s heat exchanger compartment, which sits just above the fuel combustion chamber. And while not detectable from the outside, evidence of a leak will appear as decreases in water pressure or water levels. Normal boiler pressures for water temperatures between 70 and 100 degrees Fahrenheit range between 12 and 15 lbs. per inch, or psi, according to Slant Fin. For temperatures over 100 degrees F, normal pressure levels should fall between 15 and 25 psi.