If you have a boiler, it is the heart of your heating system. If your boiler malfunctions, it affects the rest of your heater and your overall comfort. Plus, a broken boiler can cause health and safety risks, so it’s not a problem you want to ignore. Learn about the signs that your boiler needs to be repaired and then contact us for boiler repair in Staten Island, NY.
What Is a Boiler?
A boiler can be used to heat your home, similar to how other heating systems work. No matter what type of system you have, if there’s a boiler it works in a similar way. Boilers use hot water and radiant heat that transfers throughout your home to people and objects in it. A boiler has pipes that run through your home and heat up inside radiators and baseboard heaters that then transfer the heat out into the living spaces. It’s a closed system of water that heats up and circulates through the terminal point to radiates heat and then returns to the boiler to start the process again.
Signs of Boiler Problems
Unusual Sounds
In day-to-day operation your boiler is fairly silent as it works to heat your home. Hearing noticeably loud sounds means that something is wrong with your boiler. If the pump wears down, you may hear whirring, clunking, or banging sounds. If you hear whistling or gurgling, the water levels inside your boiler are likely too low. You may also hear these sounds if you have hard water that leads to a buildup of minerals and debris inside your boiler.
Bad Smells
Your boiler should never smell bad. If it does, something is definitely wrong, and it’s no small problem. A carbon monoxide leak makes your boiler less efficient, but it also poses risks to your health if you’re breathing in the fumes. You may be thinking … carbon monoxide doesn’t even have a smell. And you’re right! But what you’re smelling is the boiler burning incorrectly. If you smell something unusual but you’re not sure where it’s coming from, check your boiler. A gas leak can also cause dark spots to appear around the boiler’s casing.
Increasing Energy Costs
If it suddenly costs more than usual to heat your home, the boiler may be to blame. It’s normal for your energy bills to fluctuate some from month to month, but the differences you see shouldn’t be significant. Seeing a sharp increase all at once can mean that your boiler isn’t working correctly. Your boiler may be working harder to produce the same results because something is wrong. Of course, this could also be due to age. Once your boiler is more than 15 years old, it’s time to consider a replacement.
Boiler Leaks
Many homeowners think that boiler leaks are just a problem you have to deal with when you have that type of heating system. But leaks are not normal! Your boiler is a closed system, and allowing it to leak means that your boiler doesn’t have enough water to radiate heat out into your home. If you notice a leak around your boiler, call to schedule a repair appointment right away.
A boiler is a great way to heat your home—if working correctly. When you notice the signs that something is wrong with your boiler, schedule a maintenance appointment with our team. We can help ensure your boiler is working at its best to keep your home warm all winter long.
Contact Scaran today to schedule an appointment with our professionals.
