Maintaining proper water pressure is an essential part of a boiler heating system's operation. You need to be sure that your boiler's water pressure is consistent and stays within the recommended range for the unit. However, it's also important to understand what it means when your boiler loses water pressure and what signs indicate that you need to call for a repair or new boiler installation. Here are a few things you should know.

Understanding The Pressure Gauge

Before you can effectively spot a problem with your boiler's water pressure, you need to know how to read the pressure gauge and you need to understand your boiler's recommended pressure levels, both when the system is cold and when it's at temperature.

If your boiler's water pressure gauge isn't marked to let you know the recommended temperatures, you can either check the owner's manual or ask your boiler installation and repair technician about it. They are familiar enough with the units that they can tell you where the water pressure should be in both stages. Consider marking your gauge somehow so that you can easily tell if your unit's pressure is where it needs to be.

Checking The Pressure Gauge

Understanding how to read the gauge is great, but it doesn't do you any good if you don't monitor the pressure in your boiler. Take the time to check the boiler regularly, at least once a week, to be sure that the water pressure is where it needs to be.

Dealing With Low Boiler Water Pressure

Usually, when your boiler's water pressure is low, it's because there's a leak somewhere. The first time you notice a low water pressure reading, follow your boiler technician's recommended steps to add water to the holding tank. Usually, that just means opening the water fill valve and letting it run until the system is reading at the proper pressure level.

If, after adding water, you notice that the pressure is low again, that is when it's time to call a boiler repair technician. He or she will need to inspect the unit, check the boiler chambers for cracks, and locate the source of the leak. In some cases, the leak may be an easy fix. In other situations, such as the deterioration of the heating chambers, you may need to have a whole new boiler unit installed.

Talk with a boiler installation and repair technician today for more information about your home's boiler heating system.