T & P Valve O Boiler Dripping AGAIN, Cleaning By Soaking In Vinegar?

[driz]

This involves my Peerless Boiler which I rarely use anymore. It's more of a backup and vacation away heater than really used and has been shut down much of the time the last 4 or 5 years. I just cleaned it and fired it up the other day and the T and P valve on the back of the boiler is dripping just a tad. This is no new thing as it is only 2 years old but I have had enough problems in the past with its ancestors doing the same thing. Yes I live in lime and calcium country though it's not really a problem with anything else.
I hate to buy another 30 dollar valve when the thing has almost no time on it especially since it gets used very little. The question is has anyone ever had any luck soaking valves like that in vinegar till they clean up? I've been doing most of my own furnace / boiler maintenance for a long time so there aren't any big mysteries with these critters to me, I'm just sick of tossing out valves for no good reason.

[HayZee518]

CLR might work better least that's what they claim. the valve is spring loaded and I imagine if there's a bonnet, the guts can come out. if you do get it out, check the seat. its probably a machined seat into the red brass base.

[paul52446m]

This involves my Peerless Boiler which I rarely use anymore. It's more of a backup and vacation away heater than really used and has been shut down much of the time the last 4 or 5 years. I just cleaned it and fired it up the other day and the T and P valve on the back of the boiler is dripping just a tad. This is no new thing as it is only 2 years old but I have had enough problems in the past with its ancestors doing the same thing. Yes I live in lime and calcium country though it's not really a problem with anything else.
I hate to buy another 30 dollar valve when the thing has almost no time on it especially since it gets used very little. The question is has anyone ever had any luck soaking valves like that in vinegar till they clean up? I've been doing most of my own furnace / boiler maintenance for a long time so there aren't any big mysteries with these critters to me, I'm just sick of tossing out valves for no good reason.

First of all is there any other reason for it to leak? pressure too hi? When you started it up was it at about 12 lbs. pressure? and when the water got hot did it go up to 18 to 20 lbs? When the Gage get's some age to it it might not give you a true reading. If it is not going too hi on pressure or temp. then it could be dirt on the seat of the valve. You can take a small hammer, pull the relief valve handle up to pop some water out and release it, now tap on the top of the handle to loosen any dirt. Do this several times and see if that
works. Being a boiler man i can not recamend you taking it apart to try to clean it. It is a very important safety device and you should not mess with it, only the way i just told you. Paul

[driz]

Thanks for the quick reply. I was hoping a rehab would be worth a try. I didn't mind replacing the things when they were 15 bucks but now they are worth taking the time to clean up. I'll give the CLR a try like you said. That's pretty good stuff and I think we have some floating around the house. I'll let you know how it works in a week or two.