Should You Repair Or Replace Your Boiler?

Often taken for granted, a boilers worth tends only to be appreciated when it goes wrong and you find yourself without heating and hot water. When this happens in the middle of winter, or even on a chilly spring morning, tempers can quickly fray and a sense of urgency for a reliable plumber in Faversham to come out and fix the problem and restore warmth to your home, prevails.

However, while newer models of boiler might be easily repaired, the same can’t always be said for older ones, and in some instances, the most cost-effective solution may be to replace your old boiler with a newer model. So, before you reach for the phone and call for boiler repairs in Faversham, consider the following:

Is your boiler still under warranty?

A lot of newer boilers have 10 year warranties, and if your boiler is still covered by a warranty, it may cover the cost of replacement parts or labour if your boiler needs to be repaired rather than replaced.

Can you fix it yourself?

You may not realise it, but there are a few things you can check yourself, or may even be able to do to stop the problem, if you suspect your boiler to have malfunctioned:

• Bleed the radiators. If there’s air in the system, your radiators may not be getting as warm as they should

• Check radiators for leaks. Leaks in the system can depressurize your boiler and prevent it from heating your home effectively.

• Check the boiler’s pressure gauge. If below a certain level, the boiler may stop working until you repressurize the system.

• Check the thermostat is set to the right time.

• Thaw a frozen condensate pipe with warm water.

If the problem still persists however, you’ll need to call a local plumber.

If any of the 4 issues listed below apply, you’ll need to call a local plumber as soon as possible.

1. Radiators aren’t heating up as quickly as they should

Heat is produced by modern boilers almost instantly, and if yours is taking too long to reach maximum temperature, it could indicate that it’s on its last legs, or dirty water is circulating in the system. Either way, you’ll need an engineer to come and examine it.

2. The boiler has started to make strange noises

While all boilers make a certain amount of noise when they fire up, it should be a low, almost inaudible hum; if your boiler starts making ominous banging, gurgling or clunking sounds, there could be one of several potential problems at fault.

3. There’s water leaking from the boiler

If a puddle has started to form around your boiler, it could mean that an internal part has disintegrated, and this requires immediate intervention from a qualified plumber.

4. It’s emitting a nasty aroma

A boiler in good working condition shouldn’t smell at all, and so if you start to notice even the faintest of aroma’s, it could spell trouble for your boiler. While carbon monoxide doesn’t have an odour, any smell could still indicate that carbon monoxide is leaking and causing the boiler not to burn properly.

If your boiler has dark soot staining on and around it, has a yellow flame instead of a blue one, or the pilot light often goes out, you should also speak to a plumber as soon as possible. These are important signs that shouldn’t be ignored, and ultimately, if you spot anything suspicious happening with your boiler, you should have it inspected at the earliest, to determine whether repairs or a replacement boiler, is needed.