Heed These Signs of Boiler Burnout To Avoid More Serious Issues

Every winter you count on your heating system to keep your home feeling warm and comfortable. But like any piece of mechanical equipment, an HVAC system’s boiler will eventually start to degrade. There are some tell-tale signs that your boiler may be burning out, and you should address these red flags as soon as possible to avoid larger issues and to maximize the life of your boiler.

Stopping Boiler Burnout in Its Tracks

Keep an eye out for the following:

• Check the pilot light, if applicable. Most boilers made today don’t have a constantly running pilot light, but if you have an older model, checking that the light’s still lit should be the first thing you examine.
  Look at the thermostat. Make sure its set above the room’s temperature. If it’s not a digital thermostat, make sure it’s level.
• Make sure the circulator pump is working. Put your hand on the motor – if it’s cool and you can’t feel it running, check the breaker that feeds power to your boiler. If the motor is really hot, the problem could be with the pump, the motor or the run capacitor.
• Examine the temperature/pressure gauge. The reading should be higher than zero, but should not be above the red line. If the reading is unusually low, ensure the inducer fan and/or the vent damper is open. If they’re not, turn off the breaker and restart it after a couple minutes. Some of these problems you can fix on your own, which can save you money. However, if you still notice problems after checking off each of the following steps, it’s best to call in the help of a HVAC pro. For more information about boilers, contact Sobieski Services.

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