Most home’s today use a gas or electrical furnace to heat their home during the cold winter. However, there are still a few homes and commercial buildings that use boilers. For some people, boilers seem fairly foreign and many people frequently ask if boilers require the same maintenance as a furnace. Hal Mechanical would like to share more about boilers and how they need yearly maintenance as well.
Boiler Gas Leak Problem & Solution
Many people are under the impression that boilers require less maintenance since there are less components. However, that is simply not the case. Boilers work hard throughout the cold winter season. As the boiler works to maintain the heat in the home, its components begin to wear down. There are more components to a boiler than most people realize. Let’s start with the boiler’s fuel or power source. Most boilers use natural gas or electricity and depending on the fuel source different components may be affected. For gas boilers, they demand regular maintenance and inspections as gas leaks are a major concern. A boiler uses heat exchangers. Gas fuels the burners that create heat in the heat exchanger that then boils the water that heats up the inside of the home. During the heating process the heat exchangers undergo rapid heating which expands the metal, Over time, the repaid heating followed by cooling of the metal can cause the heat exchanger to crack, releasing gas into the home. To avoid potential and dangerous exposure of harmful gas, boilers require a need to be inspected once a year.
Boiler Leaking Water or Making Kettling Noise
Another major reason why boilers require yearly maintenance is because of water. Boilers use water to create heat. The water is boiled and steamed and because water is used, rust and corrosion is a common problem for boilers. A boiler’s tank will run into kettling, which is when minerals build up inside and begin bouncing around inside the tank. Kettling is easy to detect as you can hear the sound of little rocks bouncing inside the tank. To prevent premature erosion, sometimes the tank will need to be drained or a chemical solution can be poured into the tank that will break down the minerals.
Boiler Pilot Light Won’t Ignite or Stay Lit
Boilers are also prone to developing leaks throughout the entire heating system. Leaks can be repaired and spotted during a boiler tune-up and inspection. Along with leaks, other components are checked during a boiler tune-up and inspection such as the pilot light. A pilot light often develops a type of buildup which can prevent the burners from starting up. The pilot light commonly requires cleaning each year and sometimes replacement. In a boilers life, it will go through many pilot lights or the ignition device as this component is used each time the boiler is started up. It can be hard to detect the pilot light is failing without an inspection.
Boiler & Forced Air Furnace Heating Repair, Maintenance, Installation & More in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Peccole Ranch, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada
These are but a few of the common problems a boiler develops. To ensure a boiler is running reliably and efficiently, yearly maintenance and inspections are essential. If you haven’t had your boiler inspected and tuned-up yet, contact Hal Mechanical and schedule your boiler tune-up and inspection today.
