OK, so the motel has a fuel oil boiler used for radiators in the apartment and to pre-heat the water for the laundry. It's an older boiler, but it works. I just dread when it fails. While I do most of my own maintenance, I avoid the boiler. It is a big, stinky, noisy machine in its own room and I don't screw with it.
So, the other day it started smoking pretty bad out the chimney. So, I ordered fresh fuel oil thinking the stuff I had might be cruddy. Didn't help, and yesterday the wife is complaining not only about the smoke, but the fumes in the laundry room are getting real bad. I wouldn't know this 'cause I've had a sore throat thing going on and have been avoiding getting near the laundry. So, I go downstairs and it's pretty bad. I call my buddy who is an HVAC guy and he asks when the last time I had it cleaned was. "Oh, about 2 years ago" I replied (actually I think it was 3 years). "Well, dumbass, it has to be done at least every year! I'll come over today and we can clean it."
Sounds like a plan to me. Now, the boiler room is right next to the laundry, you need to remember that detail. I tell my wife that Brian is coming over and we are going to clean the boiler and she asks " Do I have to move the clean towels and floor mats?" "Nah", I replied, "we won't make a mess."
So, my buddy gets his tools, and I go get the shop vac. He opens the boiler and it looks like the seventh level of h*ll in there. We now now why it is smoking. Easy stuff...turn on the shop vac and start cleaning, right? Well, it appears the shop vac has a leak, and all the crap we suck up gets blown right out the side in a big black cloud. And of course, to add to our comfort, we have blocked open the door to the laundry room. So a black cloud about the size of a nuclear test is heading for the laundry room, and of course, the cooling fans are on, so they blow the entire black cloud across all the white shower mats, white towels, and every horizontal surface and appliance in the laundry room.
At this point the damage is done, so we move the shop vac outside and start cleaning again. Now, the black cloud is getting huge, and is carried on the nice breeze across the back of the motel where it decides to enter room #6. I can see it is heading towards rooms 21-29, so I throw a sheet over it, and that seems to somewhat tame the smoking beast. The only good thing that has happened so far is the wife is busy doing her other job and has not come out to check on us.
Additionally, in our determination to get things done I did not turn off any of the 4 dryers, and you might want to remember that, too.
Well, as the old joke goes "And where were you, my good man, when the s**t hit the fan?"
Well, the wife decides to check on us and goes ballistic, and she ain't even been to the laundry room yet. After seeing the 4 inches of black silt in the yard, and the mess in Room 6, she goes down to the laundry room. My buddy has just finished, and he is totally black from head to toe, I am well covered, and she just yells and leaves for a hair appointment, swearing appropriately. Now I, in all my soul brother glory, am left to run the front desk, and of course, it gets busy.
So I get the guests checked in, rooms sold, and decide I should really try hard to clean this up. Did you know that as soon as you touch this stuff with water it turns to grease? Trust me on this, now I have this greasy paste all over the laundry room. So I go get the hose and hose it out as best I can, and get the re-wash going.
Ok, I'm making progress and she isn't back yet. Washers are going, so I decide to fold what was in the dryers. Remember, those would be the dryers I didn't shut off? Do you know what happens to white towels when you put them in a closed drum while wet, and spin them in front of a blower full of boiler scrapings? I bet you can figure it out.
Well, I give up. So I go down to my buddy's restaurant for a glass of KJ Chardonnay and a burrito, nice meal, relaxing. I go home, figure I can beat the wife in the door, slam down some NyQuil (remember, I have a cold) and pass out in the otherworld sleep only NyQuil can deliver. Oh, but no...the wife is home looking like the wicked witch of the west 'cause she had to leave the beauty parlor with the goop in her hair 'cause I screwed up her whole day and the grocery store closed early and she hasn't eaten and I've got a belly full of good wine and Mexican food.
Well, it is now 6:20, nearly a full 24 hours from this event, and she finally came out to speak to me. Women...ya just can' figure 'em out!
By the way, the boiler doesn't smoke!
So, the other day it started smoking pretty bad out the chimney. So, I ordered fresh fuel oil thinking the stuff I had might be cruddy. Didn't help, and yesterday the wife is complaining not only about the smoke, but the fumes in the laundry room are getting real bad. I wouldn't know this 'cause I've had a sore throat thing going on and have been avoiding getting near the laundry. So, I go downstairs and it's pretty bad. I call my buddy who is an HVAC guy and he asks when the last time I had it cleaned was. "Oh, about 2 years ago" I replied (actually I think it was 3 years). "Well, dumbass, it has to be done at least every year! I'll come over today and we can clean it."
Sounds like a plan to me. Now, the boiler room is right next to the laundry, you need to remember that detail. I tell my wife that Brian is coming over and we are going to clean the boiler and she asks " Do I have to move the clean towels and floor mats?" "Nah", I replied, "we won't make a mess."
So, my buddy gets his tools, and I go get the shop vac. He opens the boiler and it looks like the seventh level of h*ll in there. We now now why it is smoking. Easy stuff...turn on the shop vac and start cleaning, right? Well, it appears the shop vac has a leak, and all the crap we suck up gets blown right out the side in a big black cloud. And of course, to add to our comfort, we have blocked open the door to the laundry room. So a black cloud about the size of a nuclear test is heading for the laundry room, and of course, the cooling fans are on, so they blow the entire black cloud across all the white shower mats, white towels, and every horizontal surface and appliance in the laundry room.
At this point the damage is done, so we move the shop vac outside and start cleaning again. Now, the black cloud is getting huge, and is carried on the nice breeze across the back of the motel where it decides to enter room #6. I can see it is heading towards rooms 21-29, so I throw a sheet over it, and that seems to somewhat tame the smoking beast. The only good thing that has happened so far is the wife is busy doing her other job and has not come out to check on us.
Additionally, in our determination to get things done I did not turn off any of the 4 dryers, and you might want to remember that, too.
Well, as the old joke goes "And where were you, my good man, when the s**t hit the fan?"
Well, the wife decides to check on us and goes ballistic, and she ain't even been to the laundry room yet. After seeing the 4 inches of black silt in the yard, and the mess in Room 6, she goes down to the laundry room. My buddy has just finished, and he is totally black from head to toe, I am well covered, and she just yells and leaves for a hair appointment, swearing appropriately. Now I, in all my soul brother glory, am left to run the front desk, and of course, it gets busy.
So I get the guests checked in, rooms sold, and decide I should really try hard to clean this up. Did you know that as soon as you touch this stuff with water it turns to grease? Trust me on this, now I have this greasy paste all over the laundry room. So I go get the hose and hose it out as best I can, and get the re-wash going.
Ok, I'm making progress and she isn't back yet. Washers are going, so I decide to fold what was in the dryers. Remember, those would be the dryers I didn't shut off? Do you know what happens to white towels when you put them in a closed drum while wet, and spin them in front of a blower full of boiler scrapings? I bet you can figure it out.
Well, I give up. So I go down to my buddy's restaurant for a glass of KJ Chardonnay and a burrito, nice meal, relaxing. I go home, figure I can beat the wife in the door, slam down some NyQuil (remember, I have a cold) and pass out in the otherworld sleep only NyQuil can deliver. Oh, but no...the wife is home looking like the wicked witch of the west 'cause she had to leave the beauty parlor with the goop in her hair 'cause I screwed up her whole day and the grocery store closed early and she hasn't eaten and I've got a belly full of good wine and Mexican food.
Well, it is now 6:20, nearly a full 24 hours from this event, and she finally came out to speak to me. Women...ya just can' figure 'em out!
By the way, the boiler doesn't smoke!
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