Residential Boiler Guide: Tips to Ensure Your Boiler System is Running Well – Part 4 of 4

Boilers can be dangerous if they are not maintained properly. Avoid issues by having your system serviced at least once a year by a trained and licensed boiler to keep it running safely and efficiently. Keep in mind that, in most areas, technicians who work on boilers need special training, a specific set of tools, a special license from the state—so make sure to ask for a certified technician when you place your service call.

A certified residential boiler technician will ensure that there are no cracks in your system and that no water is leaking. If you have a hot water boiler, no water or steam should be escaping. An inspection is done before and after starting the system. Watching it in operation will reveal if there are other problems that need to be addressed.

Regular maintenance if you’ve been in your home for a while is important, but you also need to have your boiler serviced professionally if you are moving into a new house. When a house has been sitting empty for more than a few weeks, always have a certified technician check it out before you turn it on. Boilers in empty houses could be filled with antifreeze which will have to be drained before they can be started.

You’re also going to want to check the pressure when you start it for the season. Refer to your manual to learn what the pressure should be; then check the pressure gauge, which is usually located on an outside surface. Do this every month during the time your system is operating. Call the technician if your readings are out of range.

It’s important to keep the surrounding area clear during operation. Storing anything that could melt or catch fire is a fire hazard, so move papers, cardboard, paint, aerosol cans, gasoline, and other such items away. Keeping a pathway to your boiler free and clear is important so you can get to the pressure gauge and pilot light easily when you need to.

Many people seem to schedule boiler maintenance in the fall as temperatures begin to plummet, but you can do it any time. In fact, having service done in the spring or summer makes a lot of sense because that’s when technicians are usually less busy.

Modern boilers are relatively easy to service because design iterations have been increasingly straightforward and user-friendly. As long as you hire a certified, professional boiler technician to do the work, maintaining your system at peak performance level should save you money and keep your home safe.