Everyone knows how cold winters can get, and if your boiler stops working, it can be a catastrophe. The good news is that there are things you can do or have your HVAC professional do to make sure that your boiler can withstand the stress of winter. Here are some tips.

Flush Your Boiler

A boiler, especially an old one, can accumulate limescale and rust. Flushing or descaling the boiler helps get rid of these damaging materials. HVAC professionals typically put a bucket beneath the boiler’s drain, turn the boiler off both at the fixture itself and at the circuit box, then re-open the drain. Afterwards, they refill the boiler, and turn it back on. Sometimes, it’s necessary for them to flush more than once. Some boilers are more complicated when it comes to descaling.

Make Sure the Filters Are Cleaned or Replaced

Clean filters go a long way in making sure your boiler is efficient and lasts the lifetime of a well-maintained boiler, which is about 15 years. Check the filters every month and either hose them down or replace them. This is especially important in the winter when the boiler has to work especially hard.

Bleed the Boiler

Bleeding isn’t the same as flushing the boiler. It just means that you vent the excess hot air from your boiler’s system. Too much hot air strains it. Bleeding is even easier than flushing. Just put a bucket beneath all your radiators and open the air bleed valve of each one.

Make Sure the Water Level Is Sufficient

Make sure that there’s enough water to serve all of your radiators. You can do this via the gauge or sight glass. This is just a circular window in the boiler with a glass tube that lets you know the water level. Check these levels regularly. If they are low, refill the boiler, but don’t overfill it. Overfilling forces water and not steam into the system, which is dangerous.

Make Sure the Boiler Flame Is Blue

The flame that heats your boiler needs to be bright blue. If it’s any other color or if it smokes, you need to call your HVAC professional right away. An unhealthy flame can lead to a fire or carbon monoxide poisoning. To see how the boiler flame is operating, open up a panel at the front of the boiler and look inside.

Call Us to Learn More About Maintaining Your Boiler

The frigid months of winter put so much stress on your boiler and its system that keeping it in top condition is a must. If you need more maintenance tips, repairs, or troubleshooting, don’t hesitate to call our HVAC professionals at Hardy Heating of Wasilla, Alaska right away.