Boiler with Old Food Cans Inside

[Donald Bissex]

The boiler was a late 40’s or early 50’s American Standard Arcoliner. Someone put empty food cans in around the heat exchanger. Some were distorted by the heat, others bent and squeezed in. Any thoughts on why someone thought this was a good idea?

[Dom D'Agostino]

Bored teenager? Clueless homeowner? Someone thought it was a compactor or incinerator?

[Garry Sorrells]

Possibility.
Wanted to reduce/disturb draft flow & speed allowing more heat to be absorbed by boiler sections before exiting to vent.

[Jeff Zehnder]

Either they were not empty when they were paced and they were cooking....

Or as previously suggested, idiot baffles

[Donald Bissex]

Possibility.
Wanted to reduce/disturb draft flow & speed allowing more heat to be absorbed by boiler sections before exiting to vent.

I like your theory, Garry. The basement also had a radiator off one of the lines that looked like a homeowner modification. Perhaps between the radiator and the cans in the boiler things got a little warmer in the basement for the clever homeowner?