If we are faced with an increase in pressure such as those described in the previous section, the following actions must be carried out to lower the pressure in the boiler:
- Turn off the boiler: it seems obvious, but since it is an electronic device, many faults can be solved by simply turning the boiler off and on, just as it happens with computers.
- Purge the radiators: it is important to make sure that the radiators are free of air, since we can blame the high pressure on the boiler when in fact the problem is easily solved. We ourselves can bleed the radiators with a screwdriver.
- Close the filler cock: if it is slightly open it can cause pressure increases, so check that it is completely closed. This is something that we can do ourselves without having to call the technical service.
- Replace or fix the expansion vessel: when it is the expansion vessel that fails, it must be replaced with a new one. For this, it is necessary to contact an installer authorized by the Ministry of Industry.
- Open the drain valve: discharging the water releases the pressure. We can also do it ourselves, but we must do it with the boiler off and when the water has cooled.
- Open the safety valve: it is not recommended as it may not work well later and leak and have to be replaced. When there is no other choice because the boiler does not have a drain key, first you have to turn off the boiler and wait a while, since the water could come out at a high temperature and burn us.
The boiler loses water
A boiler can lose water for various reasons; the important thing is to know how to identify what the problem is and if it has an easy solution. The first thing is to check that the filler valve is properly closed. Once this has been verified and if the drip continues, it is necessary to turn off the boiler.
A possible case of dripping is due to higher than adequate pressure, in this way the safety valve opens, letting out the excess water. This can happen because:
- The filling tap is open: we must close it completely. If water still enters, it is necessary to have a technician replace it.
- There is air in the radiators: the user himself can bleed the radiators to remove the air.
- Failure in the expansion vessel: if it is a failure in the expansion vessel, the repair is expensive, since it is usually located at the rear of the boilers and its replacement requires the breakdown of the boiler, so the labor price is high.
- Fault in the plate exchanger: if the fault is in the plate exchanger, we are facing an expensive replacement, since the exchanger has a high cost. When it comes to somewhat old boilers, it is even more worth changing the boiler than the plate exchanger, since between the energy savings that a condensing boiler represents, added to the price of replacing the exchanger, the renovation of the boiler costs us.
If the pressure is normal but the valve is leaking it may be because the valve is dirty and just needs cleaning. It may also be malfunctioning and need to be replaced.
It may also be the case that water drips from the trap. This may be due to some material detached from the installation fitting into the bleeder gasket and the bleeder not closing completely, causing it to leak.
If the water comes out of a place other than a valve, it may be that some part of the circuit has a leak due to a pore created, surely due to a sudden increase in pressure or due to the wear and tear of the years when it comes to very old Boiler Repair.