If your boiler is working and there is no heating there are several things you should confirm if they are working the way they should. In this article, I will share what you should do about this problem.
You may think that your boiler is working perfectly because you started it and it did so. But starting a boiler and hearing the noises it gives as it operates doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s working.
If there is no heating but the boiler is working, this clearly should tell you that there is a fault. The fault can be from outside the boiler, starting from the controls to the internal parts of the boiler.
In this article, I’m going to share what you should check if you are having this problem.
What to do when your boiler is working but not heating;
1. Check out the control panel if it’s giving you the correct readings.
If your boiler is working but not heating up, the first thing you have to do is to check whether everything is in control.
Check the control panel because it’s going to give you an idea of what is going on within the boiler.
It can be that the boiler is not heating water because you forgot to put the correct firing controls on the boiler.
If you do anything to mess up with the firing controls of the boiler, this means that fire will be produced within the boiler but there will be no heating.
On the other hand, if the control panel of the boiler is not displaying anything, this should let you know that there is no power at all. The controls use electricity, if there is no electricity it will be impossible to control anything thus the heating situation you are experiencing.
Boiler controls are responsible for the regulated amount of steam that is used up in heating. It is possible that the heating measurements aren’t correct and that is why the boiler is just running but no steam is generated.
If there is no steam generated there is no way heating will be experienced. The control panel can either increase or decrease the amount of heat produced that facilitates steam generation.
And you know what that means to the boiler.
2. Check the water levels in the boiler.
If your boiler is running but no heating is experienced, this is something else you should do.
You have to know that the steam that is generated from the boiler is what produces the heat that is used in heating.
So, before opening any part of the boiler, check the water level of the boiler. If there is no water in the boiler, then that is the reason why your boiler is not producing heat.
For the heat to be produced, steam has to be generated and the steam has to be used in the heating processes. If that is the main use of your boiler.
When there is a low water level in the boiler, insufficient steam will be produced thus resulting in low heating levels.
Especially, if you are using the boiler to heat things that require a high amount of energy.
Ensure that the water in the boiler is at the correct level to generate enough steam that is going to be used in the heating process.
You should also know that if the water levels are lower in the boilers and that is not fixed immediately, it may result in destroying the boiler.
It will rack up heat and creep because there is not enough water to handle the heat being fed to the boiler.
3. Check the steam distribution lines if they are working correctly.
The boiler may be working but no heating is experienced simply because the steam generated doesn’t reach where it’s supposed to.
If the firing components of the boiler are working perfectly, the water level in the boiler is correct, you should expect steam to be generated and heating to be experienced.
But if the steam distribution lines have any fault; leaking, clogged, or even not mounted properly on the point of application, heating is not going to be experienced.
Ensure that there are no leakages from the steam pipelines, the steam is distributed without issues and it’s correctly delivered at the point of use.
You might like this: 6 Design Requirements Of Steam Distribution System
If you have noticed that there is a leakage that can potentially result in huge energy loss then you should work on that or call an engineer who will help you fix that issue.
Steam leakages from your boiler can result in large energy losses and this will decrease the heating capacity of the boiler.
You might like this: Type Of Heat Losses In a Steam Plant (+How To Minimize Them)
4. Check the thermostat.
A boiler thermostat is used in controlling the temperature depending on the variations fed to it.
It can be turned on and off manually or automatically. If the thermostat is not working then this could be the main reason why there is no heating.
The boiler provides hot water to the necessary points of application, but the thermostat is in control of the temperatures of the water provided at the point of application.
If the thermostat is not working, there is a probability that it doesn’t provide the control measures of the temperature needed and that is why there is no heat produced.
Also, you should check the values that are fed to the thermostat and ensure that they are correct.
Fixing these things I have talked about in this article, may help you bring back the heating you miss from your boiler.
5. Check the diverter valve.
The diverter valve is essential when it comes to providing hot water or heat to the radiators that are used in heating.
It directs where the heat should go, so if it’s not working there is a big chance that this is the main reason why you aren’t experiencing any heating.
When the diverter is damaged or stuck during the process of opening and closing, this could temper the heating mechanisms of the boiler.
Working on the diverter valve if it’s not working is going to eliminate the problem of your boiler not heating if you have found out that it’s the main problem.
6. Check the firing system of the boiler.
You should also not forget to check the firing system of your boiler if there is no heating yet the boiler is working.
There is a chance that there is a problem in the firing system of the boiler which limits the steam generated by the boiler.
It can be that there is an issue with the fuel, the fireside is dirty and doesn’t allow sufficient heat transfer to the water in the boiler or the fire system is not correctly oriented in the boiler.
These are some of the things you should check if you have checked all the things I have talked about above and none had an issue.
If the fireside is dirty-coated with soot, you should consider cleaning, if it’s the issue with the fuel used you should change it.
Solve any problem that prevents heat transfer in the boiler if you want to fix this issue of the boiler not heating.
Lastly…
If you have checked all the things I have talked about in this article and still your boiler is not heating yet it’s working, you should call an engineer to come and check your boiler for you.
There are some problems that you won’t be able to notice especially if you are not an expert in dealing with boilers.
Don’t do anything that is going to destroy the boiler. Try to check your boiler manual, read it, and try to understand the instructions before you decide to call someone to help you out.
It can be that there is something you just forgot to open or a switch that you forgot to turn on and that is why there is no heating yet the boiler is working.
Thanks for reading, if you have any questions you should leave your comment. See you in my next article.
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