Ray Wohlfarth

Ray Wohlfarth is president of Fire & Ice Heating & Cooling in Pittsburgh and shares troubleshooting tips and lessons from real boiler rooms. In addition to writing, Ray teaches classes across the country, helping custodians, technicians, and facility personnel understand both steam and hydronic heating. With decades of hands-on experience, Ray combines technical expertise with storytelling to make complex heating topics practical and approachable.

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Boiler Room Detective

Replacing a Steam Boiler: What Every New Technician Needs to Know

Focus on correct sizing to the connected load, inspect and upgrade system components and address the root causes of previous boiler failures.

March 2, 2026

Ray Wohlfarth

Mastering steam boiler replacement requires moving beyond standard HVAC habits to focus on connected load sizing, proper near-boiler piping, and system-wide diagnostics that ensure long-term reliability.

Boiler Room Detective

Combustion Readings

Do it right, document it and sleep better at night, and leave Low-Bid Pete in the dust.

February 2, 2026

Ray Wohlfarth

Stop debating the best season for boiler maintenance and discover why performing a combustion analysis on every single service call is the ultimate move for safety, liability protection, and professional pride.

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The Boiler Room Detective

Are Boilers Dangerous?

Regular safety checks and proper upkeep, such as weekly testing of the low-water cut-off, are essential to ensure decades of safe, reliable boiler operations.

January 5, 2026

Ray Wohlfarth

Boilers aren’t dangerous on their own — skipped maintenance is — and this veteran expert explains why a simple 60-second weekly check can prevent six-figure failures and catastrophic accidents.

The Boiler Room Detective

The Loneliest Place

When the heat goes out, true boiler pros rely on calm thinking, sharp senses, and old-school know-how to bring systems back to life.

December 8, 2025

Ray Wohlfarth

Step inside the high-pressure world of boiler troubleshooting as veteran expert Ray Wohlfarth reveals how patience, safety, and smart detective work turn late-night breakdowns into hard-won victories for the technicians who keep buildings warm and systems alive.