Take Care of Your Boiler

August 10, 2019 by Christopher Ballard

To increase heat transfer and the efficiency of the boiler’s operation, soot buildup in the boiler tubes and sections should be removed on a monthly basis. In addition, before and after the heating season, a complete major cleaning of the entire heating system should be performed.

Tip 1
Set up a maintenance contract with a reputable Vancouver plumber and boiler repair company. With a maintenance contract, you will receive scheduled boiler cleanings and guidance in measuring the boiler’s efficiency. When a consistent relationship is developed with your boiler contractor, you will be assured that emergency repairs are handled promptly.

Tip 2
Keep the interior of your boilers clean. If tubes and sections are free of soot, the boiler fires less frequently, therefore using less oil. The more a burner fires, the more fuel is used.

Tip 3
Keep you heating systems and controls clean. As soot continues to build up in the tubes or sections, it inevitably spills out and invades controls and other sensitive equipment areas. Not only does this cause needless repairs and costs, but it often occurs at unpredictable times. Valves too, must be kept clean if they are to operate properly. As you prepare you boiler for the heating season, wipe down the burner parts and sweep the boiler room clean.

Tip 4
Always begin your annual maintenance check in the spring and summer seasons. These are the best times to complete needed welding and refractory repairs and replacements before the next heating season begins. Your inspection program should include:

Check for leaks in goose-necks, mud legs, stay bolts, horizontal and vertical seams and tube replacements.
check for disintegrating refractory in the combustion chamber(s), repair or replacement of refractory may be needed.
Re gasket all front, rear and chamber doors to prevent leaks.
Replace all broken studs and bolts on all doors.

Tip 5
Overhaul the burners. Inspect regularly the color of the burner’s flame. It offers telling signs of oil and air mixture problems. If the boiler is giving off a dark orange or black smoke, there is too much oil and too little air. If the flame is very pale, then there is usually too much air and too little oil. Also conduct a combustion test to determine the fuel efficiency. Check belt motors and replace them if worn. Check the accuracy of your fuel oil gauge, and finally calibrate necessary controls.

Tip 6
Maintain a boiler log on a continuous basis. A log serves as the basis for assessing how your boiler is running and what is being done to keep it in good shape. The log should be maintained on a daily, weekly and monthly basis so that annual cost projections for fuel and maintenance costs may be accurately calculated.

Tip 7
Make some final heating system checks:

Record stack temperatures. Rising stack temperatures may indicate increased soot, poor efficiency and potential ignition or burner failure
Blow down the low water cut off and check the water feeder and gauge glass
Check out return lines, flush and clean out mud legs
Check the air vents on all the mains, risers and radiators in every room, office, apartment etc.

Getting The Most Out of Your Boiler

Annual boiler upkeep is a key element of making certain hot water system will last for at least as long as it was designed to. If you’re not comfortable when it comes to conducting any of the maintenance tasks yourself, then get an expert heating technician to visit to carry out these checks on your behalf. Such checks aren’t usually all that expensive and are undoubtedly well worth the fee to make sure that your system will work continuously and at peak performance.

Guidelines for Boiler Maintenance

Boiler maintenance a bit tricky, as each boiler is set up in a different way. There are only a few general maintenance guidelines that are relevant for most hot water boilers. The advice below is from a library of articles by Energy Star, which happens to be a good resource where you are able to find out about various heating topics for your home, including helpful energy-saving tips.

Release pockets of air by opening valves and bleeding radiators. When the water is flowing steadily, you’ll know that you have let all the unwanted air escape
Oil the water pump to facilitate smooth performance and stop the motor getting overheated
Check the expansion tank to ensure that it has the right level of water to allow for expansion
Clean grime and dirt from the pump to ensure the efficient transfer of heat
After bleeding radiators, check out the pressure gauge and temperature and preserve your boiler’s proper water levels.

It is a smart idea to have your heating system maintained annually by an accredited heating contractor.

One local plumbing and heating contractor we like to recommend is;

Pioneer Plumbing & Heating Inc
https://www.pioneerplumbing.com

Seven Tips For Easy Gas Furnace Home Maintenance

July 20, 2018 by Christopher Ballard

Check The Thermostat

This is the 1st place to search for a problem. It’s quite feasible that you don’t have furnace trouble at all. The furnace won’t operate unless it receives the signal from the thermostat.

Ensure your thermostat wiring isn’t broken anywhere down the line to the furnace. If you happen to discover any breaks, an easy splice that’s wrapped with electrical tape will supply a temporary fix.

Open the thermostat cover and look for loose wiring. Your thermostat ought to be sitting level and securely attached. Remove any dust.

Make Sure The Furnace Is Turned On

You don’t need a furnace repair call if all that’s needed is the flipping associated with a switch. Make sure the power switch to the furnace is ‘on’. It looks like any typical wall switch and you’ll find it located either on the furnace or on a nearby wall.

Be sure the circuit breaker line or even the fuse as well as the furnace is delivering power.

Look at the panel that sits over the blower motor. The furnace can’t operate if it is not securely closed. When it’s in the right position, it depresses a switch that allows it to work.

Change The Furnace Filters

The main cause of furnace operating failure is clogged filters that cause overheating and premature shut-off. You’ll know this is the problem if the blower motor is running but there is no heat coming through.

Look at the furnace manual to locate the filter, learn how to remove it and the best replacement size/type.

Please understand that a clogged, soot-laden filter results in a dirty heat exchanger as well. Efficiency is greatly reduced and of course the furnace can sustain life-shortening damage. Replace cheap filters monthly during your heating season. Inspect pleated filters every month or two and change them as needed.

Is The Gas Turned On?

Don’t overlook this step just because it seems too simple. It’s possible that someone deliberately turned the gas valve into the ‘off’ position last spring and then forgot to turn it back on.

In case your gas line has a levered handle, make sure it’s positioned parallel to the pipe. When it’s perpendicular, it’s turned ‘off’.

An older furnace probably has a pilot light. Remove the panel on the front of the furnace and then visually check to see of the pilot is lit.

Flush The Drain Lines

Furnaces that are highly efficient drain gallons of water every day. Ensure there is no mold or dirt build-up that’s shutting your furnace down.

Cleaning the drain hose is easy. Simply remove the hose, fill it with water that has 25% bleach and let it sit for several minutes. Flush it outside and put it back into place.

Check For Restricted Air Flow

Once your furnace is running some rooms may remain cold, be sure that all air registers are fully open.

Look at the ductwork for gaps or breaks. Seal them with a special duct tape that’s made from metal.

When you’re there be on the lookout for any levers that might be jutting out a little distance from duct work. These dampers should be in the ‘open’ position.

Check For Blocked Intake Or Exhaust Vents

That is applicable when your gas furnace is vented on the side of your house. Make sure the vents are completely clear of any debris.

Similarly, if there’s a heat pump, check for debris build-up near the outside compressor fins.

Very often these DIY furnace repair tips can save you money, there will be times when you need to call up knowledgeable Vancouver furnace repair technician. Don’t get left in the cold. Put one of our heating technicians to work for you.

Everything That You Must Know About Home Décor

July 12, 2018 by Christopher Ballard

Decorating a home is one of the daunting tasks, so one needs to make efforts and spend proper time to complete it. There are many items available in the market that you can use to decorate your home. With the help of some appealing decorative items, you can give a new appearance to your personal space. By living in a new and fresh home, you can feel refreshed and new too. If you got tired with the boring look of your home, then it is the time to transforming it. With the help of this, you can create a good and happy atmosphere at your home.

There are many advantages that you can get after decorating your home in a perfect way. You can use several items to decorate your home that includes furniture, colors, fabrics and much more. Using the accessories can also help your home to achieve a new and unique look with ease.

Hire professionals or do it yourself

There are many people who are decorating their home at their own level. They can either get advice from their friends or check out the tips on the internet. With the help of this, they can also show their own creativity while decorating their home. On the other hand, if they don’t want to make efforts or don’t have enough time, then they can hire the professionals. They know very well all about decorating the various types of homes. They are also familiar with the latest trends and also have a good experience regarding the home decoration tasks.

They also have the skills and abilities to change the overall look and theme of a home. You can take help from them in order to make a place boring to interesting within a few days. You should always hire the professionals that are working in this field for several years.

What’s more to know?

Home décor can be selected as according to the size or the look of a home. After knowing the right size or space of your home, you can get started to buy the decorative items. Never make purchases without considering the size of your home. It is one of the essential things that also have a great impact on your final decision to purchase furniture and other accessories. You can easily hire the professionals to ease up your task. All you need to do is to spend a few bucks, and they will manage all the home decoration tasks with ease.

It can help you to save up your time and energy which is one of the big benefits. You can also gain many other advantages which are really amazing. A home with a new look can give a positive feeling to the homeowner as well as the other family members.

To wrap it up

You can buy the various kinds of home décor according to your desire from the online as well as web-based stores. These can make your home more beautiful and look appealing to your guests.