Telltale Signs Your Boiler Needs Repair Work

A well-maintained boiler can last a long time. According to experts, a simple electric boiler will last up to 10 years. Traditional gas boilers will last up to 15 years, while quality boilers can surpass the 20-year mark. However, the key factor is they must remain in good repair. If small problems are left alone, they can get worse over time. In the end, the boiler's life expectancy can decrease.

Below are some signs you need to call boiler repair services so your small problem doesn't become big.

New Noises

While manufacturers put out low-noise models, boilers are never truly silent. So, you can expect to hear some whooshing. However, new sounds can indicate a problem. For example, if the whoosh becomes more of a whistle, one of the pipes may have a partial blockage. The boiler may also be overheating. Banging sounds occur from a buildup of limescale.

Water Leak

The boiler heats your house by heating up water and sending it to your radiators. Part of a boiler's makeup, then, is a water tank. That tank should be completely sealed. However, you might notice a small pool of water under the boiler. This little puddle indicates the boiler has sprung a leak, usually because of corrosion, broken seals, faulty pipe connections, or a damaged water valve.

Yellow Flame

Gas-burning boilers produce heated water by running it in a tube over an open flame. The flames along the burner tube should be blue. However, burning gas can produce byproducts such as soot and carbon buildup. These can clog parts of the burner assembly. A clogged burner tube will result in yellow flames instead of blue.

Foul Smell

A yellow flame heralds an even more worrisome issue — carbon monoxide. When the boiler assembly can't properly burn off the gas, it can produce an excess of carbon monoxide. The main warning side of excess carbon monoxide is a foul smell, typically one that resembles rotten eggs. This issue requires evacuation of the building and emergency boiler repair.

Heating Failure

The purpose of your boiler is to provide steam heat to warm your home. If it fails to meet that purpose, one of several issues can have come up. For example, an electric boiler's heating elements may have failed. Conversely, the circulator pump can be broken, so it can't push the flow of steam through the pipes. Maybe the burner won't ignite, or the thermostat is malfunctioning.

Extend the life of your boiler by attending to small repairs quickly.