Importance of Boiler Maintenance

It is not uncommon for home owners or facility managers to wait until a boiler completely breaks down before replacing the unit. An expensive inconvenience at the best of times, the majority of boiler breakdowns occur during the cold winter months, when boilers – having been inactive for long periods –are forced back into life. Suddenly having to shell out money to replace a boiler with avoidable damage is no fun. The first tip to helping owners avoid this is to implement regular maintenance and inspection. These inspections of the boiler system should occur at least once a year.
In the event that you’ve missed a few annual inspections, there are a number of things that could go wrong with your boiler. We’ve listed the 10 most common boiler problems.

No heat or hot water

This could be caused by multiple things, including broken airlocks, failure of motorized valves or low water levels.

Pilot light going out

This could be due to a broken thermocouple, a deposit build up in the pilot light or a draught blowing the pilot light out.

Condensate pipe freezing

During extremely cold weather the condensation in this pipe may freeze and cause a blockage. This blockage makes the condensation ‘back up’ into the boiler and cause a shutdown.

Kettling

Hearing a strange rumbling noise similar to when a kettle is boiling? When lime scale or sludge builds up on your boiler’s heat exchanger you can get something called kettling. When these deposits build up in your boiler, they can restrict the flow of water within the heat exchanger.

Losing pressure

Checking the pressure of your boiler couldn’t be simpler, just take a look at the built-in pressure gauge. If you find that the needle is below 1, then there might be an issue with low boiler pressure and your central heating system won’t function properly.

Boiler keeps switching off

This could be low water pressure, a problem with the thermostat or a lack of water flow due to a closed valve, air or the pump not circulating the water in the system properly.

Thermostat issues

The older the thermostat the more likely it is to become less accurate, misreading temperature settings or turning the heating on/off by itself.

Leaking and dripping

The most common cause is a broken internal component, such as a pump seal or pressure valve. If the leak is coming from the pressure valve it may be a case that your boiler pressure is too high. If it’s coming from the pump seal, it may have become worn out and need replacing.

Strange banging noises

Air in the system is a common cause, alternatively it could be that the water pressure is too low or it’s kettling. Imminent pump failure, particularly in older systems, could also be responsible for strange banging noises.

Radiators not heating up

If your radiator is warm at the bottom, but not at the top, there may be air in the radiator which can be fixed by bleeding the radiator. If this is not the case, it may need a power flush to clear the pipes.
Boiler maintenance is vital to keeping your home warm and comfortable, should any of these problems arise. A boiler is one of the most important appliances in the home, which is why you should schedule routine tune-ups on it. If you do notice any problems with your boiler, or are in need of your annual inspection, call Air Expo today!