What to Do With 2 Old Viking Boilers

Hello all,

I am tearing down an old house originally built in 1911. It has two Viking Junior Crane 290 model boilers that have been converted to natural gas. It looks like They originate from around 1924 as there is a "Thrush" hot water heating system gauge on the top. These boilers are perfectly functioning and have been serviced every year. They have the original Asbestos coating around them and I have to get this removed before demolition. It seems like such a shame to get rid of these perfectly functioning antiques. Is there even a need or a market for these items?

Pictures tell a thousand words and everyone in here loves pictures.

Kevin

Talk to whom you have do the asbestos abatement.

If you want to keep the boilers, you will have to have the asbestos cleaned from them. This will include making sure there are no asbestos bearing gaskets in them.

Sometimes rather than clean them, the asbestos people take the whole thing as contaiminated material.

They will tell you what your cheapest option is.

As requested, here are some pictures. As far as the Asbestos abatement goes, the Asbestos removal company wants to wrap the boilers up and take them away. They will remove the asbestos offsite and then sell the metal for scrap. I will ensure I take the steam gauges off as a souvenir since they have "1924" on them.

Thanks a bunch for the photos. Those are cool old units and seem to be in great shape. I would guess the asbestos is going to scare off any takers. I do wonder why they have 3 doors? One fill and one clean out, and one ? Just to access air controls and shake down levers?

Kevin

The one on top is to clean the flue passages to maintain top efficiency

Ahhhh!

I'd be taken the doors and hinges off and saving them. They could come in handy for building you own stove, coal chute door. But I'am a pack rat..lol

It seems a huge waste to scrap these to me. And I do scrap runs myself, but I don't scrap things that are worth saving. I'd try and abate/save them. I'm sure there is an outfit that would simply abate them onsite and then you could list them on craigslist or here. I can't imagine that someone wouldn't want them once they're asbestos-free.

I agree that doing any asbestos abatement will reduce the value or usability of these boilers. I wouldn't even want money for these boilers I would just want them to find a good home and still be useful. They would be ideal for a garage or a hunting cabin. I will put them on Kijiji or Craig's list. And see if any one will take them.

I wasn't saying abatement would reduce the value, I was saying that it would make them easier to sell. I know there are outfits that will carefully remove the outer jacket and abate the furnace or boiler without any damage to the components onsite.

I would still try listing them first. If you don't get any takers before the house needs to come down, you could always move them to a storage area until you can sell them. If they're moved in one piece, you shouldn't have to worry about asbestos exposure.

I found a home for the boilers! I put an ad on Kijiji and a guy drove 4 hours to come remove them. It took him 24 hours to remove all the components and he plans on using one unit for a hunting cabin and another to heat a swimming pool? They went free of charge but he did save me $1500 that the asbestos company was going to charge to remove. It makes me feel good that these boilers will continue to be used and not scrapped.

That's fantastic Mark! Glad they went to a good home. I figured you would be able to find a taker for them.