Can My Boiler Have A Heart Attack?

Unfortunately, most people here in Saskatoon know or have heard of someone that has been affected by a heart attack. A heart attack is usually caused by arteries clogging up, which has catastrophic consequences. 

You may wonder, “How does this relate to my boiler system?” Well, here is how. A boiler consists of a piping system that distributes boiler fluid to the heat emitters in your home. The proper delivery of this fluid is as crucial to a boiler system as blood flow is to your heart.

Arteries in the human body can get obstructed due to different causes. Similarly, the inside of the piping in a boiler system can get coated and slowly build up a blockage, which will hinder the boiler fluid from being distributed efficiently and even stop the flow completely. This will cause many other issues to occur in your system as well as rapid loss of the efficiency, which your system was designed for. 

What can cause the boiler “arteries” to clog? Boiler fluid requires proper maintenance and regular testing; often systems are filled with a mixture of glycol and water or sometimes just water. Let’s start with water. Because of its inherent nature to cause corrosion, a chemical was engineered and designed to prevent a boiler system from corroding. This chemical will need to be closely monitored to ensure proper chemical levels so it can efficiently prevent corrosion within the boiler system. Boiler fluid has the potential to grow microorganisms within the fluid, which can cause the fluid to become sludge and lead to catastrophic failure of the system.

This can be prevented by the use of proper chemicals and the use of demineralized water when filling the system. Our professional technicians here at AquaTemp always use a demineralization cart when filling a boiler system. This rather expensive tool, in simple terms, purifies the water to ensure that no microorganisms are introduced and allowed to reproduce in the boiler fluid and removes calcium, lime, and other minerals that can build up on the walls in your boiler and reduce flow and heat transfer.

Performing a full boiler flush may be required if the fluid is too far gone. This is why regular checkups on your system by a professional should be as important as regular blood tests from a health professional are to you. 

If a health professional finds an issue during a regular check-up, they have a much higher chance to find solutions and prevent serious implications. In the same way, you can save yourself a great deal of stress and unexpected repair costs if issues with your boiler system are found and taken care of before causing further and more serious damage to your boiler.

Feel free to contact us and book an inspection to ensure the longevity and health of your system; we would be more than happy to assist you and your home with a maintenance plan to save you time, stress, and costly repairs as we all understand how busy and stressful life can be.  

I hope you found this article helpful and learned about the importance of regular checkups, whether it’s yourself, your home, or your vehicles. 

Blessings!