When boiler problems strike, you need to figure out what’s wrong immediately. The longer it goes unattended, the more of a problem it becomes. Bearing that in mind, here are ten straightforward ways of figuring out your boiler:
Check for leaks
A good place to start is by checking your boiler for signs of any leaks. If you find them, then this shows something is wrong – and it’s usually an issue with an internal piece of the boiler. Don’t try and fix any leaks yourself, it’s better to call in a certified professional engineer to do it for you.
Look at the pressure level
If the pressure gauge is below 1, then you definitely have a problem. Call out a pro to carry out essential boiler maintenance right away.
Inspect the condensation pipe
Every boiler has a condensation pipe that mainly helps to transport loads of bad stuff out of your boiler. It commonly runs into issues and can freeze during the winter. When this happens, it leads to significant functionality problems. It’s an easy pipe to identify as it tends to be the only one that’s plastic and leads outside to a drain. Check it and see if it’s damaged or frozen.
Check the thermostat
A crucial part of boiler maintenance is checking the thermostat to see if it’s working. All you have to do is look at it and ensure it’s switched on and showing the right temperature. If it’s not on or the temperature looks way too inaccurate, then you should call in an engineer to take a look.
Monitor your boiler to see if it keeps switching off
If your boiler is always switching on and off, then there’s definitely a problem with it. Normally, it’s due to low water pressure, but it could also be an issue with the water flow or thermostat. Regardless, you should call in an engineer right away when you notice this problem.
Check your hot water taps
Check your hot water taps to see if they’re warming up. If not, then your boiler has a problem and needs to be fixed.
Feel your radiators
Give the radiators in your home a feel to see if they’re heating up equally. Often, you find there are cold patches, which indicates issues with the air distribution from your boiler. Luckily, you more often than not just need to bleed your radiators to fix this problem.
Listen out for whistling noises
Your boiler should make some noises, but you need to listen out for any loud banging and rumbling sounds coming from it. This is often called kettling as it sounds like a kettle boiling. This usually shows there’s a problem with the heat exchange, so call in an engineer to do some routine boiler maintenance.
Check the gas supply
Take a look at the boiler and also look at any gas appliances to see if they’re working. If not, then you have a boiler issue on your hands.
Look at the pilot light
A pilot light is basically a small gas burner that’s a massive part of your boiler. If yours goes out, then you will ultimately see problems.
By learning what to look out for with your boiler, you can quickly figure out what problems are occurring. If you need someone to help with general boiler maintenance, then please contact us today!