Appreciation post: That time a boiler tube let go in a Chicago winter

Matthew Hart · 2026-03-11T02:40:05.379908+00:00

We had a 500 psi boiler in an old factory, and a tube split right at the back of the drum. The steam roar was unreal. We had to cool it down fast, cut out a six-foot section, and weld in new tube under a tight deadline because the whole building's heat was out. Anyone ever had to do a cold weather tube replacement like that?