Side-vented oil fired boiler blows out!
We did a substantial addition about 5 years ago and moved to oil fired hot water heat, which is great except for one thing – the *(&# burner blows out when it’s windy!
The boiler is in the cellar of our old log cabin, about the only place it could go, against the only outside wall. No room to put a chimney up, so the HVAC contractor installed a power vent through the wall. This wall faces more or less into the prevailing wind. In calm times the system runs for days or weeks. If it’s windy, the burner can shut down a dozen times a day. I’ve tried experiments with baffles around the wall cap, but nothing’s really worked.
The HVAC guys clean the burner, and it gets better for a while, but it’s never been right.
The system has never been reliable (although the components are of good quality) and I’m tired of dealing with the HVAC guys. A good cleaning seems to help, and I’ll do that, but I’d be grateful to hear recommendations for a well-designed wall cap or other solution.
Replies
No room for a chimney? What's the L-vent going to take, a square foot? maybe 1 1/2? As much as 2?
There's room. The question is which is more important to you.
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"I may have said the same thing before... But my explanation, I am sure, will always be different." Oscar Wilde
Fair enough, room can always be made.
Given that it is what it is, any suggestions?