You head into the laundry room and notice a puddle near the water boiler. You check the drain valve and it’s definitely closed, so what’s going on with your boiler?
Even though water boilers are set to last for decades, they’re prone to maintenance problems throughout the years. Let’s help you find all the reasons your boiler might be leaking.
Problems With Water Pressure
If your boiler is leaking water from your outlet pipe, it might not be as concerning as you think. The outlet pipe is designed to release extra pressure from your boiler which can result in occasional drops of water escaping.
This is because there are no sealed fittings on the outlet pipe. A small amount of water is perfectly acceptable. If you suspect that something else is wrong, be sure to monitor this area and make note of any increases in water volume.
If an increasing amount of water escapes the outlet pipe, you have a problem on your hands. This means excessive pressure is building inside your boiler and it must be checked by a trained professional as soon as possible.
Damaged or Worn Seals
Seal damage occurs similarly to fitting and joint damage. Expansion and retraction over time will loosen rubber seals location in multiple areas of your water boiler.
Replacing seals is standard, routine maintenance. Typically, these inexpensive components should be switched out every 7 to 10 years on average. The time will vary depending on your boiler model and frequency of use.
While this is a solution that you can handle on your own, it involves a great deal of time. Calling a technician to service your water boiler can unveil additional problems with your unit, or reveal a different issue that you may not have been aware of.
Loosened Joints
When you use enough hot water, the temperature inside of the heater lowers. Cold water comes in and has to be heated to the set temperature. When that cold water comes in, your water boiler retracts. When it heats up again, your water boiler expands.
This constant push and pull of expansion and retraction can loosen joints over time. You can manually inspect the fittings of your boiler and ensure they’re tightened enough. Once you go through and tighten any fittings, clean up all nearby water. Wrap a dry cloth around the fittings in question and wait to see if the cloth gets wet.
If you’ve done all you can to tighten the fittings and water is still leaking, the problem may be more difficult to diagnose. This is when you should contact a professional.
That Leak Can’t Wait
Do you have a boiler leaking water? It’s not an issue that can wait. It’s time to call a professional to diagnose and repair that issue as soon as possible.
Contact HB Energy Solutions for all your energy needs. HB Energy Solutions delivers peace of mind.
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