Residential Boiler Issues: 5 Components Your Repair Technician May Check

If you are experiencing issues with your home gas boiler, it might be best to consult a professional heating technician, especially if you are inexperienced or uncertain of how to fix it. From faulty parts to frozen over components, your heating repair technician can locate potential problems and find a working solution. Upon inspection, here are components a professional may look at:

1. The Pilot Assembly, Flame Sensor and Thermocouple

These are a few of the main components that need to be examined when a gas pilot light will not stay lit. If the pilot light assembly and flame sensor are blocked by dirt or debris, the pilot light may go out. Cleaning the components is best left to a professional. He or she will turn off the gas and power supplied to the boiler before removing the panel to clean the assembly. If necessary, the thermocouple sensor will need to be removed from the main gas valve before proceeding. A faulty thermocouple may require replacement.

2. The Boiler Circulator Pump

The circulator pump removes hot water to be delivered to the heating system. If your household water is running cold or you have very little hot water, your technician might have a look at the circulator pump to note whether it is running. If the valve inside the pump is faulty or damaged, it may need to be repaired or replaced. If the cirulator pump is running, but it is making a loud noise, air may have become trapped inside. Also, if the pump is leaking water, your system could be losing pressure, and this may also be the cause of insufficient hot water in the home.

In addition, the technician will take note of the size of the circulator pump. It needs to be large enough to supply adequate pressure in order to move the hot water through the system. If the pump is not large enough, it may need to be replaced.

3. The Pump Seal and Pressure Valve

If either of these components are faulty or worn, it may cause a leaking boiler. Leaking and ripping water from the boiler unit may cause water damage in your home, as well as heating problems from loss of pressure. The repair technician will repair or replace thee components if necessary.

4. The Condense Pipe

Is your boiler condense pipe located outdoors? If you live in very cold region, your heating system could be experiencing freezing issues. A frozen condense pipe could cause a host of problems, including bubbling or gurgling noises coming from the boiler, error messages on the panel, as well as a boiler that does not operate at all. In such a case, the technician may need to thaw the condense pipe to note whether this is causing the issue. The tech may use some type of heating device such as a heating pad or hot water bottle to thaw the condense pipe out.

The technician may offer advice on how to prevent the condense pipe from future freezing. This may include re-routing the condense pipe to a warmer area, or replacing the unit with a larger model which may have a lesser tendency to freeze. Insulation applied to the condense pipe might also prevent freezing. In very cold regions, a condense heating device may be installed to prevent future freeze ups.

5. The Thermostat

This is often the main culprit of main boiler issues. Fortunately, it is often an easy fix. Faulty thermostats may result in a heating system that turns off and on intermittently. If the thermostat has malfunctioned or if it is very old, it may be time to install a new one.

If you need to replace your boiler altogether, you might want to request a no obligation boiler quote to compare prices. You might also qualify for a new boiler grant, if your unit is several years old, so inquire about this as well. For more information, contact companies like Moorhead Machinery & Boiler Co.