George T Wilkinson Blog Boiler Draft 101: Why Balance Matters for Efficiency and Longevity

Draft is one of the most critical aspects in any boiler system. Too much negative draft can cause a flame to be pulled off the burner head whereas too much positive can create excessive heat at the head and cause premature failure. We call it the "potato chip effect" where the burner diffuser is cooked. All firetube, water tube and cast iron boilers and specific burners alike require a specific amount of draft whether it be positive or negative. With our vast experience we feel as if we've "seen it all" however, there's always a new situation that can truly make us scratch our collective heads.