Strange odor from boiler (smells once in a while)


  #1  
Old 12-28-17, 05:58 AM
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Unhappy Strange odor from boiler (smells once in a while)

Hi,
I sometimes smell odor from boiler room that smells like hot oil. In the boiler in my old house similar smell was when tank leaked. However, back then, when tank leaked it kept extinguishing the flame. This time, it does not, and the weird thing is it does not smell all the time, just occasionally, maybe once or twice a day.
I first thought it was gas, although gas smells differently, but my plumber thoroughly checked with soup bobbles all gas joints and did not find anything. Unlikely, when he came, it did not smell, so he could not find the root cause.
I searched various forums, when people report smell it is persistent. In my case, it is once in a while and disappears by itself.
What could be possible causes?
 
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Old 12-28-17, 06:13 AM
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The smell could be from a circulating pimp. Pumps that are wearing out will sometimes put an extra strain or load on the pump itself or the motor causing it to overheat allowing the oil to out-gas from the high temperature.
 
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Old 12-28-17, 06:17 AM
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Hi, Steamboy,
There are no pumps- it is steam boiler.
 
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Old 12-30-17, 04:05 PM
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A boiler specialist told me the boiler leaks (he put a mirror and light under the boiler and came up with conclusion). He said I need a new boiler (the model indeed is old -1983). He also said the leak when falls on burners can cause carbon monoxide emission. Giving a very cold weather in our area, I wonder however, is it worth trying a boiler stop leak (I saw many different product ads when I searched for this keyword)? It is a gas-fired steam boiler. For now I lowered thermostat setting and lowered pressure on the pressure shut off control, after that I have not smell the odor yet.
 
  #5  
Old 12-30-17, 04:21 PM
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I,
just a couple of questions.

Did you see the leak

Are you using a lot of water

Is it only leaking when the boiler runs.

If you are leaking on the burners it wouldn't make a difference if you reduced the pressure or lowered the stat because it will leak anyway.

I am not a big fan of stop leak but in your case if you really have a leak and your boiler will have to be changed anyway you have nothing to lose.
Hope this helps a little.
 
 

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