Don’t ignore your leaking boiler!
A leaking boiler is rare, but it happens, and when it does you need to call in your boiler expert as it’s unlikely to be caused by something you can fix yourself. If it’s a tiny leak, or one that seems to come and go, it might be tempting to ignore it but that is just storing up trouble for the future. The leak will almost certainly only get worse and could reduce system pressure and damage your boiler. It might also be putting your home at risk; the leaking water could ruin your décor, ceilings or flooring and might even short circuit any electrical components it reaches.
So, what do you do if you spot a leak? These simple steps will protect your boiler and your home! Turn off the water supply to the boiler and switch off the heating. Wipe up any water you can see and, most important of all, call your boiler expert!
All our Gas Safe registered engineers are fully qualified and experienced. They’ll usually be able to identify and deal with the cause of the problem quickly. The things they will look for are:
Pressure: Anywhere above ‘2’ on the pressure gauge when your boiler is cool means your boiler pressure is too high which could result in a leak because the excess pressure needs to be released to avoid long term damage to the boiler itself. The correct pressure will be anywhere between 1 and 1.5 on the gauge.
Temperature: If the temperature of the water in the boiler gets too high it could cause the auto air vent to leak as the boiler could be boiling the water.
Boiler Seals: Water is pumped around your central heating system. If the seals on the pump or other places weaken or degrade this can lead to leaks. Depending on the degree of degradation just the seals can be replaced, but sometimes parts may need to be changed also.
Corrosion: Where there is metal, eventually there will be corrosion which weakens the metal parts and can lead to leaks. Spotted early it could simply be a case of replacing the affected part but if the problem is more widespread it may be irreparable, and the only cost-effective solution will be to replace your boiler.
Wear and Tear: As your boiler ages, wear and tear is inevitable and the older it gets the more prone it will become to leaks and other problems. Constantly changing temperatures in your boiler will cause pipe joints and connections to expand and contract repeatedly and they may become loose as a result. Your boiler expert will check for this as part of the annual service and, where possible, tighten any loose connections, but just like anything else, eventually they will wear out. If your boiler is more than 10 years old, it’s worth considering replacing it with a more energy efficient model that will save money on your fuel bills and reduce the likelihood of leaks!
If you do decide to replace, it’s worth remembering that one of the most common causes of a leaking boiler is poor installation! So, make sure you only use Gas Safe registered engineers like Delta Flow to work on your existing boiler or install a new one!
The best way to avoid leaks is to make sure you maintain your boiler in good condition by having it serviced annually so that any potential problems can be spotted and dealt with by your boiler expert before they develop into something worse!