AboutJ Cook Expertise With 25+ years experience, I am familiar with residential, commercial, and industrial HVAC equipment including but not limited to boilers, chillers, reciprocating and screw compressors. I am trained in all manners of control wiring.
Experience I currently have three HVAC licenses and Refrigeration license by the State of North Carolina. I have been in this field for over twenty years. I have been a service technician for a contractor and also worked at a state college in the repair and maintenance of steam lines and equipment. I am currently the Building Maintenance Superintendent for a municipality.
I have a 147K BTU New Yorker oil fired boiler that heats my domestic water in the furnace itself with a coil and heats the house with baseboard fin radiators. I am guessing the furnace was installed when the house was built in 1978. The model number is FR147 with a Beckett burner. Last year a new Beckett igniter was placed on the burner. My furnace is in the basement of a ranch house.
When the Beckett burner ignites, it produces a sound of a small boom. My dad describes the sound as like somebody shutting a door but not slamming the door. This sound has been happening much of the winter season.
I only have had this house for 4 years. The first 3 years I don't recall hearing this sound. What are some possible things that could cause this boom sound when the Beckett burner ignites?
This furnace made the same sound before the Beckett igniter was replaced. Oh, I have an underground oil tank.
Many thanks for any suggestions you offer for possible causes of the boom sound!
Mike
Answer Mike this could be several things. Some are insignificant and are not a problem, but a cracked exchanger letting air infiltrate the burner chamber, or a delay in ignition after fuel is injecting into the chamber could be dangerous. I would seek out a boiler expert to check out the sequence of ignition and also inspect the firing chamber, vent, and boiler tubes. With the cost of oil, I would also consider installing a separate water heater, even an electric one to prevent using the boiler year round for hot water. This will dramatically increase the life of the boiler. If you do this or not, I would have an annual inspection done just before heating season to test all of the safety controls on a boiler. Thanks J
