Boiler Repair near you

When the thermostat calls for heat, the boiler's burner or electric elements warm the water in a closed loop. A circulating pump then moves that water through the piping to each radiator or loop and back to the boiler to be heated again. Because the loop is sealed, the same water circulates year after year, and an expansion tank absorbs the extra volume as the water warms.

Safety and control devices keep everything in balance: the relief valve opens if pressure climbs too high, an automatic fill valve on many systems replaces water that is lost, and air vents release the air that gathers at high points. In many homes the boiler also heats household water through an indirect tank.

Air trapped in the loop is one of the most common reasons a radiator stays cold at the top, and letting it out is a job most homeowners can handle. Natural Resources Canada suggests bleeding radiators once or twice a year. Turn the heating off and let the radiators cool, hold a cloth under the small valve at the top corner, open it slowly with a radiator key until the hissing stops and water appears, then close it. Afterwards, look at the boiler's pressure gauge: if it reads lower than usual, call a technician rather than adjusting valves yourself.

A boiler that burns natural gas, propane or oil has to be serviced by someone licensed for that fuel. In Ontario, only fuels contractors registered with the TSSA may work on fuel-burning appliances such as boilers, so ask for the company's registration when you book.

In Quebec, a heating contractor needs a licence from the Régie du bâtiment du Québec and must be a member of the CMMTQ, and work on a gas burner calls for a qualified gas technician. In other provinces, the provincial safety authority can tell you which licence applies. Wherever you live, opening the burner compartment, adjusting gas pressure or bypassing a control is not a homeowner job.

Gas and oil boilers produce carbon monoxide, a gas you can't see or smell. A blocked chimney or vent, a failing burner or a damaged heat exchanger can let it spill into the basement and from there through the house. Health Canada links low-level exposure to headaches, tiredness and flu-like symptoms, and names the hallway outside the bedrooms as the most important place for a carbon monoxide alarm.

If the alarm goes off, get everyone outside and call 9-1-1 or your fire department from there. If you smell gas, leave without touching light switches and call your gas utility or 9-1-1 once outside. A major leak, water spraying from the relief valve or a complete loss of heat during a cold snap also call for an urgent visit, because frozen pipes can burst inside the walls.

Many boiler faults involve wear parts that are easy to change, such as a circulating pump, an igniter, a thermocouple, an expansion tank or a zone valve, and fixing them is usually sensible. The question changes when the heat exchanger leaks or is cracked, when parts for an older model are no longer available, or when breakdowns come back every winter.

If you do replace it, Natural Resources Canada notes that gas and oil boilers are subject to the federal Energy Efficiency Regulations, which set a minimum efficiency standard, and that on average an ENERGY STAR certified gas boiler uses 10% less energy than a standard model, and an oil one 4% less. Certified models also use electronic ignition instead of a pilot that burns all the time, and sealed combustion that draws outdoor air.

Natural Resources Canada recommends having natural gas and propane boilers serviced at least every two years, and the manufacturer's manual may ask for more frequent visits. Booking the tune-up before the heating season lets a technician catch small problems before the first cold night. Between visits, Natural Resources Canada also suggests insulating hot-water pipes, vacuuming radiators so dust doesn't build up, and making sure the water level in the expansion tank is correct.