A boiler system is made up of different parts that work together to maintain your home’s temperature levels. You may end up mistaking your hardware concerns for software issues, and vice-versa. One typical mistake that homeowners make in calling a boiler repair service is not knowing one from the other.
By using a checklist, you’ll know how to identify what your boiler’s problems are even before a technician arrives at your home.
Going through your boiler’s different components
You need to go through the different parts of your boiler to check whether you’re dealing with software or hardware complications.
In this article, we will share four things you need to check before you call for a boiler repair service.
1. Reboot your thermostat
Your boiler may start acting up if you’ve recently experienced a power cut—causing your boiler thermostat and timer to reset. You could end up mistaking the slow activation of your heating as an issue to its system when it’s simply activating and deactivating at the wrong times.
Before you inspect your entire boiler system, make sure that your timers and thermostats are functioning in their preferred settings. You may need to reset your room thermostat so that your boiler matches it accordingly. Keep in mind that it should be set above 21 degrees—or else, you won’t feel the full effect.
2. Inspect your pressure gauge
Low pressure is a typical issue that combi boiler owners have. Thankfully enough, you won’t have to contact a professional boiler technician to resolve it.
First, you should check the boiler control panel and examine its pressure gauge. It should be set at one bar—else, your boiler won’t be functioning correctly. Next, increase the boiler pressure by using the filling loop.
Turn off your boiler so that you can check if there are hose ends that have damages or leaks. Open the valves to hear the water filling up your boiler system. Watch your pressure gauge closely until it reaches 1.5 then close the valves. Switch the boiler back on to see if there are any improvements to the pressure.
If problems persist with your boiler’s output, then you can certify that it doesn’t have anything to do with your boiler’s pressure.
3. Check your radiators
Cold spots can be the result of issues with your radiators. This is due to trapped air in your radiators that need to be manually removed. Similar to your pressure gauge, you can perform your own check-up of your radiator by bleeding it out.
First, turn off the central heating and allow your radiators to cool down. Next, turn the radiator valve anticlockwise to let the air escape, which is accompanied by a hissing noise. Doing so will allow you to remove any trapped air from your radiators.
4. Assess your diverter valve’s output
If your boiler gives you heating, but no hot water comes out of it, then it may be a sign that you have problems with your diverter valve. This is a component of a combi boiler that allows it to switch between room heating and water heating.
A typical reason why you may experience this is the diverter valve being stuck in a heating position. This will be the case if you have to force your central heating to its maximum setting just to get hot water. Unfortunately, you will need to hire a professional technician to look over the repairs, mainly because it will include the replacement of your valve.
Conclusion
Although you can make your own preparations in assessing your boiler’s issues, you should always consult a professional technician to determine the full extent of the repairs needed. The best way to keep your central heating system in working order is by having it checked at least once a year, even if it doesn’t show any visible signs of damage.
If you’re in need of a boiler service in Aberdeenshire, our professional boiler technicians at Grampian Boiler Services are happy to lend you a hand. Get in touch with us today to learn more about what we can offer, such as boiler installations, thermostat repairs, and power flushing services.