Does your home have a boiler? If it has one, you know how important it is to your home. The boiler heats liquid that it pumps into devices that heat your home.
To maintain the heat in your home, your boiler needs to run efficiently. To keep it running safely, you need to clean it periodically so that it runs without any problems and lasts longer.
Read on to learn how to clean a boiler following a step-by-step approach that’s easy to follow.
Why You Should Clean Your Boiler
A clean boiler runs better than a dirty one. Dirty boilers are inefficient and can drive your energy bill up.
A dirty boiler can also make a home colder. This is because the boiler cannot maintain the heating system properly when it’s dirty. You may also find that the system breaks down more often.
It’s crucial to the life of your boiler to have it cleaned. Having soot in the boiler can lead to problems, increasing the likelihood your boiler will break down. There is no doubt that having to replace a boiler is expensive.
Keep on the safe side and clean your boiler often. Cleaning will improve its performance.
How to Clean a Boiler
You must make sure to clean your boiler on an annual basis. Here are the tips you should follow to clean your boiler yourself:
1. Turn Off the Electricity and Fuel Before Taking It Apart
Before you start to take the boiler apart, turn off both the electrical power supply and the fuel supply. Don’t forget to do this. Forgetting is dangerous and could cause electrocution or fire.
Turn off the electric power supply on the main switch. Then turn your attention to the fuel shutoff valve.
You may be able to disconnect the power and fuel lines from the boiler. If you do this, place the fuel line in a container in case any fuel drips from the line. This will help to catch it.
Wait at least three hours to give the boiler time to cool down. Once it’s no longer hot to the touch, you can proceed to open the vent. Use a screwdriver for this part of the job.
You can then open the combustion chamber door. You’ll find this door in front of the boiler. Remove the nut on the door with a wrench to open it.
2. Cleaning the Boiler
Now that the electricity and fuel supply are off, it’s time to clean the boiler. For this task, you’ll need a wire brush. This type of brush is strong enough to get even the toughest soot off the combustion chamber walls.
The soot is a byproduct of the fuel and air mixture. The buildup of soot can cause the walls of this chamber to corrode.
Take out as much of it as you can with the brush. You can then remove any remaining soot with a vacuum. If you have the means, consider renting an industrial shop vac from your local hardware store.
Do you have an oil-powered boiler? If you do, you’ll need to change the air filter. To replace the dirty air filter, close the oil valve.
Unscrew the oil filter and then swap the dirty filter for a new, clean one. This filter must be clean so that it traps impurities. Impurities can clog the oil-burning nozzle and lead to a misfire.
A misfire can cause the system to shut down. This will lead you to having to replace the boiler. You don’t want to go through this.
3. Reassemble the Boiler
Now that your boiler is clean, it’s time to reassemble it. Close the combustion chamber door by putting the nut back on it. Use the wrench to tighten the nut in place.
Next reattach the electric and fuel lines to the boiler. Then turn on the electric power and fuel supply.
You’ll need to leave the fuel valve open initially. Close the fuel valve after the fuel flows in. You’re doing this to allow any air trapped in there to escape.
4. Maintaining the Boiler
Part of making sure that your boiler works at an optimal level involves proper maintenance. Check the temperature and pressure readings often. Look at the gauges to find out if the readings are within the correct limits.
Doing this often can help you identify any potential problems with the boiler.
There’s a circulating pump in the boiler. It moves the heated water to the radiators. You must lubricate it to prevent a major system failure.
Also, check the water level in the expansion tank. It has to be half full. If you notice that the water level is not at the appropriate level, you must open the tank and drain it so that it sits at the right level.
Professionals Can Clean a Boiler
You don’t have to be a rocket scientist learn how a boiler works and clean it. But if you find that you can’t do it yourself (or that you don’t want to do it yourself), simply call a boiler professional.
Professionals know how to clean all parts of the boiler. You can have peace of mind knowing that a licensed professional will work on your boiler.
It’s Time to Clean Your Home Boiler
Follow the tips above to clean your boiler. Keeping your boiler clean helps keep it running well. .
Call us today at (402) 731-2727 to get more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our professionals.