In emergency reports, coming in the cold season, information is regularly received about burnt or destroyed private houses, as well as victims of exposure to carbon monoxide.

Explosion mechanism simple

Those boilers mainly fall into the risk zone, that don't work all the time., but occasionally. Weak spots, where the heating system can “grab” ice-cold – это расширительные баки, circulation pipes and cold rooms such as an attic.

The main reason, on which boilers explode, – is the heating system freezing.. The water in the pipes stops circulating. The fuel continues to burn. Water boils inside the cast-iron sections of the boiler or pipes. At the same time, the vapor pressure inside the system begins to increase very rapidly.. At some point, a critical pressure point will be reached, which the metal cannot withstand – and what will be the consequences of the destruction of pipes and sections of the boiler, it's impossible to predict. The fact, that at the same time a very large volume of steam-water mixture is ejected into a closed space. The pressure inside the room is rising rapidly. And at best it will end with broken windows. In the worst case scenario, the structures of the premises will be destroyed.

If an ice block has formed …

Installation and commissioning of the heating system should be carried out only by specialized organizations. At the same time, their employees must conduct training for boiler users and make a note about this in the unit's passport.

Before starting the boiler, the homeowner must ensure that, that locking devices must be open on two pipelines at once – volume, who submits, and vice versa. It is necessary to open all the locking devices, installed on the heating system. Remove accumulated condensate from the bottom section of the chimney. This will help prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.. Regularly check the pipe head and chimney channels. Before lighting the cauldron, open the system make-up line and the control line for filling the expansion tank. That, that the system is not frozen, will become clear, when water starts to drain from the control line.

But imagine the following situation: no water came out of the control line. What to do in such a case? If the pressure in the boiler is constantly increasing and has reached the value of the water supply network, then this indicates that, that the heating system is frozen. In such a situation, it is strictly forbidden to kindle the boiler.. Hoping for it, that the steam will break through the ice plug, no need – along with this, the increased pressure will blow the pipe with the boiler. It is necessary to determine the approximate place of freezing of the heating system, warm it up and check, whether water has flowed from the control line when the supply is open. And just when it happened, start lighting the cauldron, while monitoring the readings of the manometer. If the pressure approaches the maximum allowable, immediately stop the fuel supply and remove it from the boiler to a safe place. Так как это свидетельствует о том, that the heating system is NOT heated.

Infrequently, but it also happens, that the boiler itself freezes in the attic. Like a pipe, it is strictly forbidden to warm it with an open fire, you can do this with, eg, hot water. However, if during warm-up you see, that water came out from the heating surface – it means, that the boiler is depressurized. And there is only one way for him – to the repair shop. In this state, it is unsuitable for further operation.. Specialists will digest the steel boiler, well, in cast iron, they will replace the damaged sections and repack them again.

Keep out “Kulibins”

Eight boilers, blown up in the last five years, were homemade. Craftsmen somehow riveted heating units. But understandable, that there is a high risk of, that problems with heating surfaces may begin, fireboxes, stagnant zones … In the end it ends up, that the water overheats and the boiler bursts. Also, keep in mind, What's on “homemade” not installed, usually, no thermometers, no pressure gauges, no safety valves.

And so we warn: do not use homemade boilers and do not trust the installation of certified units to people, who do not have special qualifications. That money, which you want to save on this, may then respond with fire, severe destruction or serious injury.

So is it necessary to risk for the sake of saving your property?, housing, maybe, and health or even life?