Leaking Boiler Pressure Relief Valve

[keith]

My wife and I live in a 71-year-old house that has hot-water heat. The boiler is about 40 years old. We bought the house last year and had no problems with the boiler last winter. This winter, however, water is leaking from the pressure relief valve at the rate of about 5 gallons per day. We have a bucket under the end of the relief pipe, which we must empty every day lest the water run onto the basement floor. Is the overflow tank waterlogged? If so, how would we go about bleeding the tank? Or is this a job only a professional should handle. Weve called around to about a dozen plumbers in our area, but we dont have a couple of hundred bucks right now to pay them. Or should we just get used to emptying the bucket?

[Bryan DeVasherParticipant]

Expansion tank is waterlogged. Turn off boiler. Tank should be horizontal tank in ceiling with 1/2 pipe going to it. Between boiler and tank is shutoff valve. Turn it off. There also should be a drain in bottom of tank. Dont hook a hose to it as it will just pull a vacuum and not drain. Hold a bucket under it and let it drain. Just keep doing it till its empty. Close drain. Open valve. Look at pressure gauge on boiler. If you have a 2 story house you want the pressure to be about 15 to 18 pounds pressure after the water partially fills the tank. Good luck.

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