Furnaces are so common in the United States that many people have never lived in a home with any other type of heating system. So when you move into a house with boiler heating for the first time, of course, you feel a bit perplexed! How do you take care of a boiler heating system? Well, it is different from caring for a furnace, but it's not all that difficult. Take a look.

Flush the Boiler

The boiler is like a giant kettle of water. Over time, more and more water is added to the boiler as what's there evaporates and is released. The minerals in the water just keep settling out and landing at the bottom of the boiler. This mineral buildup can lead to a loss of efficiency, and it can cause your boiler to make rumbling noises, called kettling when it runs.

To prevent kettling, you need to flush your boiler about once a year. You can do this by turning off the water supply valve, connecting a hose to the flush valve, and emptying the boiler. It's the same basic process as flushing a hot water heater. If you're not interested in doing this yourself, you can hire an HVAC company to come do it for you.

Bleed the Radiators

This is essential with water boiler systems, but not with steam boiler systems. Basically, there is a valve on each radiator that you can open to let out any air. You turn the valve a little, wait until a tiny bit of water comes out, and then close the valve again. Removing water from the radiators ensures the whole radiator can fill with hot water, heating your home more evenly. You should do this once a year.

Lubricate the Pump

The pump, which pumps the hot water from the boiler and into the radiators, needs to remain lubricated in order to do its job well. Most pumps have a lubrication chamber; you can just pour some oil into this chamber once a year. You'll want to use an oil that is designed for boiler pumps, specifically. Again, if you hire an HVAC company to maintain your boiler, they will do this for you.

Boiler systems are not hard to maintain once you figure out what you're doing. If you tackle the three main tasks described above, your system should keep operating efficiently for many years to come. Contact a company near you for furnace repair services in Plainfield, IL.

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