Boiler Maintenance Tips

10 Essential Boiler Maintenance Tips For A Worry-Free Winter

By James K. Kim

If your home has a hot water or steam boiler as its central heating source, then it is a vitally important part of your home’s mechanical system. With proper annual boiler maintenance by a qualified local boiler specialist, most boilers will typically have an operational lifespan of 10 to 15+ years.

While there is no substitute for a boiler maintenance service by an expert HVAC technician, there are still several tips every home owner should know to keep their boiler operating efficiently and in optimum condition.

1. Bleed the radiators

When air infiltrates the hot water system, it reduces the heating output from the radiators. As a result, your boiler is forced to work harder, burning up more fuel, but producing less heat.

If you are familiar with bleeding radiators and have a radiator bleeding valve key, then it’s a good idea to bleed your radiators to release the air at the beginning of heating season.

Be sure to have a bucket handy as well to catch water that comes out during the bleeding process.

If you are not familiar with or comfortable with the radiator bleeding procedure, be sure to ask your trusted HVAC contractor to bleed the radiators during their seasonal boiler maintenance service visit.

2. Check for possible leaks

It’s a good idea to regularly check on your boiler and pay close attention to valves and other connections to ensure there are no water leaks.

If you wait until your basement floods to see if there may have been a leak, then it’s already too late.

3. Clear the space surrounding the boiler

Like most other HVAC equipment, boilers require proper airflow to operate and for the combustion process to occur.

Without adequate airflow, the combustion process will be incomplete, leading to increased amounts of dangerous carbon monoxide to collect.

We recommend keeping the boiler room and areas around it clear of objects, especially anything potentially flammable.

For best guidance, follow the manufacturer’s instructions in the boiler owner’s manual for proper clearance instructions.

4. Check the boiler flue vent openings for possible blockages

Your boiler’s flue is an essential component for removing the products of combustion when the boiler is operating.

When the vent is blocked (due to outside dirt and debris, dead animals or nests, etc.), then dangerous levels of carbon monoxide can enter the home, putting everyone at risk.

Vents free of obstruction ensure that your boiler is working efficiently and safely.

Evidence of a blocked boiler flue includes black or dark marks around the flue, the boiler, and/or its connection to the chimney.

5. Monitor the boiler pressure

Most modern boilers have a pressure gauge on the side for reading the internal pressure, and manufacturers have a recommended pressure range for boilers.

If the boiler pressure drops too low, then the boiler may cease to function.

On the flip side, if the boiler pressure is too high, then the heating distribution system (piping, radiators, valves, etc.) and other crucial components can become damaged.

When it comes to adjusting boiler pressures and temperatures, it’s best to air on the side of caution and have your trusted boiler expert HVAC technician perform this specialized work.

6. Check the boiler’s flame color

When the boiler’s burners are alight, the flame should be a clean blue color.

If the flame is yellow or a darker smoky hue, then this may indicate a malfunction in the burner component that would require an HVAC boiler service technician’s attention.

Putting off this important service call could result in further danger, including a potential fire or even carbon monoxide injury.

7. Check the boiler’s water level

In order to properly reach all of the radiators and heating elements throughout your home, your boiler requires the manufacturer’s recommended amount of water.

During an HVAC service technician’s seasonal boiler maintenance check, the proper amount of water will be confirmed in the system to ensure correct and safe heating operation.

Boilers with too little water can become damaged, potentially leading to a fire and putting lives at risk.

That’s why it’s so important to have your boiler regularly checked and maintained by a trusted local HVAC company that specializes in boilers, such as Cottam Heating and Air Conditioning.

8. Flush out or descale your boiler

Scale, also called limescale, is the buildup of a white, chalk-like substance forming in appliances, including boilers, where heated water collects or is dispensed.

This scale buildup can negatively affect your boiler’s heating operation, costing you money and headaches.

An experienced boiler tech can ensure your boiler operates at maximum efficiency by maintaining the equipment, keeping it clean, and flushing it annually to ensure you have heat when you need it most all winter.

9. Lube the circulating pump

If your boiler is equipped with one or more circulating pumps for moving water around the heating system piping throughout the home, they should be well-lubricated and inspected for damage.

A defective circulating pump can shut down the home heating process, or at least negatively impact the heating output of the boiler and increase your energy utility costs.

An experienced boiler technician can inspect and lubricate your circulator pump and ensure its clean and efficient operation.

10. Schedule your annual boiler maintenance checkup

As mentioned numerous times throughout this article, many preventative boiler heating issues can be avoided or quickly remedied when you have your boiler regularly maintained by an experienced and knowledgeable hydronic system specialist from a reputable and trustworthy licensed HVAC company.

Don’t just treat your home’s central heating system as an “out of sight, out of mind” issue, or wait until your heating breaks before you take action. Just like maintaining your vehicle, you rely on your home’s heating system to get you through the frigid temperatures experienced throughout Westchester County in the winter months.

Frozen and burst pipes, hypothermia, and unhealthy indoor climates should be avoided at all costs when you trust a boiler expert like Cottam Heating and Air Conditioning.

Our trained boiler technicians will closely inspect, maintain, and monitor vital boiler components including the heat exchanger, thermocouple, ignitor, burner assembly, expansion tank, air scoop, circulator pumps, and other vital components we work with on a daily basis.

The Expert in Westchester County Home Heating Boiler Repair and Maintenance

If you live in the Westchester County area, contact Cottam Heating and Air Conditioning for your annual boiler maintenance appointment.

Our team of experienced and trained HVAC technician professionals has been serving Westchester area families like yours for over forty years.

We know home boiler heating systems and we believe in taking care of our neighbors. Don’t wait, schedule your boiler maintenance now or click below to call!