Boiler Maintenance
As Jack Frost first tops the pumpkin, people begin to fret about the strength of their boiler, and properly so. Any home that depends on a boiler to make central hot water or steam heating, must have the freedom of knowing that this crucial plumbing heating appliance won’t quit in the middle of a snowy winter night.
The proper way for a homeowner to keep his boiler running without breaks is to afford it periodic maintenance, and a checkup, at least once a year. Other benefits that devolve proper boiler maintenance include improved efficiency and reduced annual repair costs.
When searching for a professional plumber for your pre-winter maintenance,select a company that is knowledgeable in plumbing heating. Many companies, such as A-1 Plumbing of Baltimore, a Baltimore plumbing company, mention on their website that they handle the area of plumbing heating.A company that specializes in “plumbing heating, will send out licensed technicians skilled in the installation, maintenance and repair of all fixtures in the home that employ water and heat.
What types of problems will a plumber look for during annual maintenance? Of utmost importance, the inspector will make sure that the boiler plate is free of any corrosions. Boiler cracks can be fixed by drilling holes on the sides of the crack, caulking the crack and patching it. If the crack spreads beyond the holes, it must be repaired again.
During a maintenance inspection, the plumber will also check for boiler leaks. Leaks can come from worn down seals, elevated internal pressure causing waterto trickle out from the relief valve or corrosion of sections of the boiler, especially seen with cast iron boilers. Part of the boiler leak inspection needs to include a complete examination of the temperature pressure valve. This valve is responsible for maintaining standard temperature and pressure inside the boiler. If this part is not working properly, either the internal temperature or pressure may be elevated. The plumber will also check the amount of water inside the boiler, water levels too high or toocan cause problems.
An additional aspect of the pre-cold weather inspection is examination of all the boiler parts that help the boiler create an adequate temperature to heat the water and or produce steam. He will look at the circuit breaker, on the lookout for a burned out fuse, he will check the pilot light and the electrical start up system and he will also look to see that the thermostat is in the heat mode and is set at the proper temperature.
General boiler difficulties that can stop the boiler from heating up the water sufficiently include: insufficient electrical power, low water within the boiler, thermostat problems or electrical burner light up difficulties. These difficulties quite often come to light late in the fall when homeowners get ready to light their boiler initial cold days when they first begin to use their central plumbing heating system.
Householders with central hot water or steam heating, who are making an appointment for a late fall boiler maintenance would be wise to have their peripheral heating system checked as well. Plumbing heating specialists will not infrequently note air trapping within the line, a faulty zone valve or a faulty radiator valve. These problems can be fixed by bleeding the line and fixing or replacing the circulatory pump and the valves.
A meticulous annual inspection, as outlined in this article, will provide the homeowner a safe feeling of surity that his hot water or steam based central heating system will work, as it is supposed to, all winter.
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