Homes all over the United States are most often warmed with heat from a furnace or a boiler. Proper maintenance is the key to giving your furnace or boiler long life. Though furnaces and boilers are very different, they can be maintained the same way. A furnace heats air and distributes it through ducts along the house, allowing the air to be blown through the vents. Boilers, on the other hand, heats water providing either hot water or steam for heating. Steam is distributed through pipes to steam radiators, and hot water can be distributed through a baseboard radiator or radiant floorsystem, or is heated through a coil.

Boiler Maintenance Tips

The following tips, taken from the Energy Star Library of Articles, are only applicable to some major boiler systems, as each system is configured differently.

• Oil the pump to allow smooth operation and prevent the motor from overheating.
• Remove dirt and grime from the pump to ensure efficient heat transfer.
• Bleed radiators by opening valves to release pockets of air. Once the water is flowing steadily, you'll know that you have let all of the unwanted air escape.
• After radiators have been bled, check the temperature/pressure gauge(s) and maintain the boiler's proper water level.
• Check the expansion tank to ensure that it has proper air and water levels to allow room for expansion.
• Have your system serviced once a year by a reliable HVAC contractor.

It is recommended that you perform these boiler maintenance checks only if you have been shown how to do them by a professional or is familiar with heating systems. If not, please contact you local HVAC technician, as they are more suited to help with any issues.