A boiler can perform the double duty of heating your water and your home. Discovering a mysterious puddle of water spreading around the boiler’s base can send you into a panic, especially during a dreary New Jersey winter. “Why is my boiler leaking water from the relief valve?” you wonder aloud upon further inspection.
Our crew at Casper Friendly Services specializes in ultimate boiler repair in Howell, NJ. We outlined how boilers work, why the relief valve might leak, and what an HVAC technician can do below. Dive deep into the details of your boiler’s inner workings.
Understanding Your Howell Property’s Boiler
Many homeowners are familiar with forced-air heating systems, which use fuel or electricity to warm and push air through vent networks. Boilers, on the other hand, use steam and hot water to distribute heat throughout buildings. This makes them the preferred option compared to their forced-air counterparts for many households in Howell, New Jersey.
After all, who doesn’t love these perks?
- Enhanced efficiency: Water holds heat more efficiently than air. So, boilers need less energy to warm a home.
- Higher comfort quality: Forced air systems can create hot and cold spots and cause uneven temperatures throughout the home. Boilers uniformly distribute heat throughout each room.
- Healthier air quality: Boilers don’t push potentially dusty, dirty air through vents that you will later breathe. They also reduce indoor moisture loss, which makes breathing more comfortable during winter.
- Less maintenance: A boiler typically needs fewer services than its forced-air counterpart. It can also outlive furnaces by two or three decades.
How Do Boilers Work?
Boilers function so well, not because of magic, but because of forward-thinking engineering. These heating systems keep households warm by:
- Refilling their tanks. The boiler takes cold water from your household supply.
- Warming the tank contents. The system uses fuel or electricity to heat the water before circulating it.
- Delivering water or steam throughout their buildings. Your house contains a pipe network for moisture movement. The boiler system pushes the steam or water through the network to heat your home.
- Returning the moisture to their tanks. Once the moisture loses heat, it comes back to the boiler to reheat.
- Repeating the process. The boiler reuses its water supply as much as possible to conserve resources.
Numerous components make this process safe and possible, including the pressure relief valve.
What Does the Relief Valve Do?
Where does the relief valve factor into all of this? Your boiler relies on pressure to move hot liquid through its pipe network. If too much pressure builds up, it can have dangerous consequences.
The relief valve regulates those pressure levels by opening to let hot moisture escape the boiler’s confines. Once the pressure comes down to a safe level, the relief valve closes back up. Sometimes, the valve sustains enough wear and tear that it stops functioning as expected until a technician can address the issue.
Why Is My Boiler Leaking Water From the Relief Valve?
Although your beloved boiler has several upsides, it isn’t impervious to malfunctions. These malfunctions can be particularly dangerous if they involve your pressure relief valve. If you find yourself asking, “Why is my boiler leaking water from the relief valve?” refer to the following list of potential reasons.
High System Pressure
Pressure buildup might happen because the tank contains too much water or the temperature rises too quickly. The boiler system will find any outlet possible to avoid an explosion. The relief valve usually provides that outlet since pressure relief is its primary duty.
If pressure is behind the leak, then your relief valve is just doing its job. Your technician can diagnose the reason behind the leak to protect your home and stop the seepage.
Valve Deterioration
The relief valve might have its own quality issues. Many valves last 15 years or more, but some need replacing within a decade. Inspect the component for visible damage like rusty flakes and debris. You might also hear your boiling rattling or screeching because of the faulty valve.
Sediment buildup can also cause a valve to leak, especially if you have a hard water supply. Minerals stick to the boiler’s interior, causing the tank to overfill rather than compensating for the mineral content. This might trigger the relief valve, causing it to spill water onto the floor.
Damaged Valve Seals
“Why is my boiler leaking water from the relief valve?” you ask, scratching your head as you observe the pooling water. The valve and tank might work perfectly. Instead, you might have issues with internal valve components, like seals.
The seal securely closes the valve when it doesn’t need to release moisture. It’s typically made of metal or plastic. Both materials can degrade over time — especially plastic. Liquid can trickle out of the valve, even when it’s closed and the pressure level is acceptable.
Excessively Hot Temperatures
The pressure relief valve might also release fluid if the boiler is overheating. Extreme temperatures increase the energy in liquid and gas molecules. The molecules tend to move faster and faster, increasing the boiler’s internal pressure regardless of other factors.
You can fix this by locating the thermostat and lowering the temperature settings. If the settings are where they should be, an internal factor is causing the boiler to overheat. You’ll need a technician in Howell, New Jersey, with a grasp of plumbing subjects to diagnose and solve the problem.
Malfunctioning Expansion Vessel
We briefly discussed how water expands as it heats up. Modern boilers typically feature two supply tanks: one for the main water supply and one for overflow as the water temperature rises. The second one is the expansion tank or vessel.
It typically sits just above the main supply tank. Part of the expansion tank’s job involves separating water from air. A broken expansion diaphragm allows air to mingle with the water supply, take up needed space, and increase internal pressure.
The expansion vessel may also become waterlogged and lose its functionality. Both issues intensify internal pressure. The pressure needs a release somewhere, or else the boiler explodes. So, the relief valve leaks water to assuage the intensity.
Can My Leaky Boiler Endanger My Home in Howell, New Jersey?
Leaky boilers aren’t necessarily dangerous to Howell households. On the contrary, they indicate that intense pressure has an escape hatchet that prevents the boiler from exploding. However, they can have long-term consequences if you don’t solve them and clean up the mess.
Water can seep into a building’s materials and nourish mold spores into mature colonies that overtake living spaces. Plus, waterlogged foundations and walls can more easily crumble.
What Do Technicians Do About Leaky Pressure Relief Valves?
A technician from Casper Friendly Services in Howell, New Jersey, might try one of the following solutions:
- Valve replacement: If the technician finds rusty or mineral buildup on the valve, they’ll remove and replace it with a new one. Most valves can withstand up to 20 years of use with proper maintenance, but exceptions do occur.
- Tightening hardware: Sometimes, screws, bolts, and other connectors have loosened to the point that they trickle liquid. The technician can fasten them back into place.
- Fixing the expansion vessel: If your expansion valve needs its first repair, the technician can probably fix it. However, these vessels can only undergo a few repairs before they need replacements.
- Trading the old expansion vessel for a new one: If you’ve already overseen multiple vessel repairs, you might need a new one. Fortunately, new tanks are fairly affordable, depending on the type you need.
- Calibrating the boiler thermostat: The technician may double-check your thermostat settings to make sure the temperature doesn’t rise too high. They can also secure any loose wires that might cause misfiring signals.
- Flushing the boiler tanks: Sometimes, boiler temperatures rise unwarranted because minerals stick to the interior edges, taking up valuable space. This increases pressure and temperature since the water absorbs more heat and has less room to expand. Tank flushing removes the mineral buildup.
If your technician finds additional issues that might contribute to relief valve leaks, they’ll discuss further repairs with you.
What Can You Do to Prevent Boiler Leaks
The best way to avoid boiler leaks altogether is through consistent annual maintenance. Many service providers offer membership plans that enable customers to access exclusive perks. For instance, Casper Friendly Services created the Casper Club, which offers:
- Repair discounts of up to 10% for ultimate service savings
- Service priority so you don’t have to wait long for your visit
- Twice-annual tune-ups to keep your system in perfect working condition
Plus, you can also apply special coupons to your service for additional savings.
Resolve Boiler Leaks in Howell, New Jersey, With Casper Friendly Services
Have you been asking, “Why is my boiler leaking water from the relief valve?” Casper Friendly Services can find the reason and a solution! Contact us for boiler repairs and routine maintenance in Howell, New Jersey. Don’t forget to join the Casper Club for membership perks!