Construction & Contractors Blog
You may have chosen to invest in a gas-powered boiler so as to enjoy the benefit of lower electricity utility bills or because you have limited space for the installation of the boiler. Regardless of the reason that made you settle for a gas-powered boiler, it is important that you understand what you should be looking for whenever you choose to inspect the boiler for various defects.
This article discusses two common defects that you should watch out for with a gas-powered boiler and the potential problems associated with these defects.
Kettling
Kettling is a term used to refer to a situation in which sediments of lime scale are deposited on various components of a gas-powered boiler (e.g. the heat exchanger, the feed and expansion tank and the connection pipes) over a long period of time. The accumulation of these sediments is often to blame when the operation of a gas-powered boiler begins to produce previously unfamiliar noises.
Perhaps the most common of these is the rumbling noise produced by the operation of a "kettled" heat exchanger. Accumulation of lime scale inside the feed and expansion tank often results in the production of steam bubbles when the boiler is operational. The production of these bubbles often produces a banging sound.
"Kettled" connection pipes within the system will often produce a whistling sound whenever the boiler is operation.
In the event of severe kittling, the heat exchanger in a gas boiler may need a replacement. Lime scale inside the feed and expansion tank as well as that inside connection pipes can be removed by flushing both the tank and the affected pipes with a chemical de-scaler. Examples of commonly used chemical de-scalers include citric acid, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid.
Cold Radiators
It is also common for the radiators in a gas boiler to fail to heat up rather slowly or to fail to heat up completely. This is often as a result of various underlying problems with the gas boiling system. Top on the list of these problems is the build-up of air within the radiator, rusty connection pipes and defective hot water pumps.
Air build-up, rusty connection pipes and defective pumps all make it difficult for hot water to circulate through the radiator properly. Rusted connection pipes should be replaced with new ones, and a defective hot water pump should be repaired by a qualified professional.
Excess air from the radiators can be eliminated through a process referred to as bleeding. This process involves the use of a screwdriver or a radiator key (if one is available). In a nutshell, bleeding the radiator will require you to insert the radiator key/screw driver into the pressure-relief valve of the boiling system and to turn the key/driver in an anti-clockwise motion.
For more information and assistance with repairs, consider contacting local contractors or pressure vessel inspection professionals.
Share15 June 2016
Welcome! My name is Frances, and this is my first blog. Whether you found me through a Google search or were passed my link by a friend, I am so glad you found my blog. I plan to fill it with a range of commentary on the world of contracting and construction work, and I hope that you find my ideas compelling and creative. I am a dog trainer, but I have always loved the world of construction. I tend to work a lot on the weekends and evenings, when my clients are off work. As a result, I have a lot of time to write during the day, and I decided to create this blog. Thank you for reading.
