Boilers contain few mechanical parts and therefore have a reduced need for repairs compared to a heating system like a furnace or a heat pump. However, because boilers use hydronic power (water) to provide heat, they are susceptible to two specific problems: corrosion and leaking. The former is often the cause of the latter, although there are a number of other reasons for leaks to occur.
We’ll deal with leaks in this post, specifically the difficulty you can have detecting them. If you need assistance with a leaking boiler in Fairview Park, OH, contact the professionals at Westland Heating and Air Conditioning. We bring more than a quarter of a century of experience to our work.
There are two principle reasons why boiler leaks can pose problems to spot:
- The leaks occur in hidden places: Much of the piping that comes from your boiler and connects to the baseboard heaters and/or radiators throughout the house are hidden in walls, ceilings, and floors. Leaks here are difficult to detect until they begin to cause noticeable damage, such as bulges beneath wallpaper, dark spots on walls, and warping in floorboards. Boiler repair technicians have special tools that allow them to locate leaks through drywall, wood, and even stone.
- The water from the leaks evaporates too fast: The temperature inside the boiler is of course very high. Few boilers today actually “boil” and use steam power as they once did. However, the temperature of the water is high enough that when it leaks it often rapidly evaporates in the outside air, not giving the water enough time to form a visible pool on the ground. It requires the work of professionals to track down leaks of this nature. Fortunately, these sorts of leaks are small, so you have time to catch them before they start to enlarge and cause more problems. (And they will get worse; that’s the nature of leaks.)
Sometimes boiler leaks are easy to spot: if the tank itself is leaking from corrosion or a broken connection, it’s hard to miss the water collecting beneath the tank—and it might mean the whole tank needs replacement. But if the leaks are difficult to find, there are a number of warning signs to look for that indicate you may have leaking problems. A rumbling boiler, a drop in heating power, or an increase in humidity in your home can point toward boiler leaks. If in doubt, you need to call in experts to discover what is wrong, locate the leaks, seal them, and find the root cause of the problem.
Leak detection and any kind of boiler repair requires training and specialized equipment, so call up experts like those at Westland Heating and Air Conditioning when you need help to rescue your boiler in Fairview Park, OH.
