Ask Tom & Leslie

Solution for a Leaky Boiler?

Actually, no.  I can’t advise you tackle this one yourself.  What I can do is speculate about what is happening though. 

It sound’s like the pressure relief valve is opening (also known as a temperature pressure or “TP” valve).  This valve is designed to open up if the pressure in the boiler exceeds 30 pounds.  Typically, a boiler in a 2 story home would operate at about 15 pounds.  If your boiler is operating at 30, there is a problem and it could be dangerous.  There are other causes too, like a water logged expansion tank (if you have an older home, these were common).  Bottom line, this is NOT a do-it-yourself project and you would be best suited to call a service contractor to diagnose and fix the problem.  You should be doing this anyway, to get the system serviced for Fall.  All gas, oil or propane fueled heating systems should be professionally serviced about now to make sure that they are operating safely and efficiently.

Print Version

Search Related Topics: Fall, Heating, Winter...