If Your Boiler Cracks, You May be Better Off Replacing It
A customer called Rebmann Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning because they were experiencing a boiler leak. Here’s what we found: The homeowner had a leak under the cement slab. Upon further investigation, we found that the boiler piping was installed in a manner that is not common for the type of home they had. There was no positive way to locate the leaking pipe other than breaking up large areas.
We didn’t tell you that to scare you, but rather to inform you of what can happen if a leak is left unattended. So you can be adequately prepared for any potential boiler problems, we want to make sure you know what could cause boilers to leak.
Reasons For Boiler Leaks
- Cracks in the body: A boiler warms up and cools down often, and when it does that, the metal pieces expand and contract. From all that stress and fatigue, the boiler can eventually crack or split. A crack in the unit can be serious and expensive. If you have an old boiler in your home, you may want to consider replacing it before dishing out big bucks on a repair which will ultimately need replacing soon after anyway.
- Damage to the boiler seals: If the boiler seals are damaged, the pump can push the water out. It may be a good idea at that point to replace the seals and the pump in order to properly fix the problem.
- Loose joints: This easy-to-fix problem will cause the boiler to leak when it contracts and expands. To see if this is the issue you’re having, check all the boiler’s fittings, pipes, and tubes. You can also check the blowdown valve which could also cause a leak.
- Boiler pressure issues: All boilers are made with a special pressure outlet pipe that plays a very important role. This outlet sometimes drips water and could be mistaken for a leak. Sometimes homeowners will cap it off, but if pressure inside the boiler can’t escape through the outlet pipe, the boiler could explode. If you frequently notice water directly below your boiler, instead of blocking it off, just reduce the pressure inside the tank.
If you do see a leak, though, it’s best to call in a Rebmann Plumbing, Heating, and Air Conditioning professional so we can fix the problem as soon as possible!
