How To Identify Common Boiler Problems

Your boiler is the heart of your commercial building, so it’s crucial to identify common boiler problems before they become costly repairs. Let’s explore the most common boiler system issues, their possible causes, and how to fix them to extend the life of your boiler and ensure it’s in working order before colder weather rolls in.

Explaining Common Boiler Problems

Your boiler could be malfunctioning for many reasons, but below are the most common boiler problems and causes:

My Boiler Keeps Shutting Off

If your boiler keeps shutting off, there are a few common causes worth investigating:

Low water pressure: Leaks in your system can cause water pressure to decrease, resulting in your boiler shutting off. If your boiler has a pressure gauge, check it for low pressure. If your meter is lower than 12 PSI (pounds per square inch), your system may need to be repressurized by a certified professional.
Thermostat issues: If a boiler’s thermostat doesn’t correctly identify the air’s temperature, your boiler can shut off. An HVAC specialist can replace a malfunctioning thermostat with a newer model that solves this common boiler problem and improves your energy efficiency.

My Boiler Leaks When Turned Off

Boilers can leak when turned off due to a wide range of issues, from low pressure to loose joints. If you notice a significant amount of water escaping from your system’s pressure outlet pipe, there could be too much pressure inside your boiler. Check the boiler’s needle gauge—if it’s red, contact a certified professional to bleed your boiler down to the lower pressure zone.

Joints can loosen as boilers contract and expand over time, causing a water leak. If you notice a leak, check your system’s fittings to ensure its pipes and tubes are tight and in place. Use a towel to dry the leak area, and if water appears again, a quarter turn of the joint may resolve the issue. If water continues to leak, contact a professional.

My Boiler Keeps Losing Pressure

A boiler that keeps losing pressure often has causes like:

Excessive air or water escaping from the radiator during bleeding
An appliance or system leak from the radiator valves or boiler components

If your boiler keeps losing pressure, check your gauge to ensure it’s reading around 30 PSI. If the pressure is good, look for signs of a leak, such as water stains and paint discoloration on pipes and skirting boards around the system’s radiator pipe connections. If your system’s water pressure is accurate and you can’t locate a leak, contact a professional to schedule an inspection.

My Boiler Isn’t Igniting

If your boiler isn’t igniting, your system could have a blocked or seized valve or a damaged wire connection. Another common boiler problem that causes failed ignition is malfunctioning pilot lights. If your pilot light is out, debris could be blocking the jet. Pilot light jets are typically inexpensive to replace, but they can also be removed, cleaned, and reinstalled. If your boiler isn’t igniting, a heating and cooling professional can provide a solution that works for you.

The Simplest Solution for Solving Common Boiler Problems

If your boiler is aged, worn, inefficient, or oversized, the simplest solution is to replace it with a modern, high-efficiency system. When you’re on the hunt for a new boiler, look for environmentally friendly and compact systems to improve energy efficiency. Brands like AERCO offer modern boiler systems that recover heat using recycled gas, reducing energy usage to keep your building warm.

Keep Your System Running at Peak Performance With Commercial Boiler Maintenance

When you rely on an experienced heating system professional to provide you with commercial boiler maintenance services, the following maintenance items are performed to ensure your system continues to run at peak performance:

Checks your pipe and chimney vent connection to ensure there’s no deterioration
Inspects the boiler’s heat exchanger for water leaks
Adjusts your boiler’s controls to provide optimum water and air temperatures to improve efficiency and comfort
Removes dirt, soot, or corrosion from the boiler
Drains water from the system to remove sediments to improve heat exchange efficiency
Examines your boiler’s water
Adds chemicals to control deposits and corrosion as needed
Cleans the heat exchanger
Drains the system’s float chamber to remove sediments to prevent low-water cutoff control from sediment clogs

Solving Common Boiler Problems Before They Become Costly Repairs

Scheduling commercial boiler maintenance is important to keep costs down and your facility operational. At Air Comfort, our experienced team of certified heating professionals help keep your commercial building operating efficiently by solving common boiler problems before they result in expensive repairs.

You can rest assured your boiler will work properly when you rely on our commercial boiler maintenance services to maintain and extend the life of your system. We take our preventative maintenance solutions a step further with our comprehensive service and preventative maintenance contracts for a variety of HVAC equipment, including steam and hydronic boilers. Our preventative maintenance contracts allow you to plan and budget for your boiler system instead of waiting for it to break down and paying large sums for significant repairs.

With a maintenance contract in place, you know which tasks your technician performs during a maintenance visit, and you can pay a monthly fee for these services. Maintaining your commercial boiler with our maintenance contract services reduces your energy costs in the long run—your system will run more efficiently, and you won’t have to pay for major repairs as often. Contact us today to schedule commercial boiler maintenance for your building.