Does your steam boiler clank? Steam heating is an intricate hydronic system. When there’s something wrong, it makes loud noises! If you have a steam boiler heating your home or building and you hear sounds like clanking and hammering of the pipes your boiler is sick. Here’s some information explaining the causes of steam boiler clanking noise and what you can do to stop it.
Steam boiler near piping
Steam boiler near piping is the associated supply and return pipes of a steam boiler that connect into the boiler at proximity. The near piping is what makes a steam boiler function appropriately and efficiently. If the near piping is installed other than the norm or the manufacturer’s recommendations a steam boiler will have any or all of these symptoms:
- flood out
- clanking
- banging pipes
- hissing a lot
- uneven heat
- high gas bill
- broken pipes
- lead to boiler failure
Most of the problems occurring with steam boilers result from faulty near piping installation! Here are three pictures showing a correct installation and an incorrect installation of a residential steam boiler:
Comparing the three pictures, the two bottom pictures look like total nonsense compared to the first image. In fact, the last picture has a high return line that does not even have a Hartford Loop arrangement into the boiler. A boiler installed without a Hartford Loop will eventually fail and leak, and the result is having no water when it fires up. Sooner or later, a section or two of the boiler will crack open from the heat.
Does your boiler clank?
If you’re experiencing this and want to resolve it, a thorough boiler examination before winter will identify the issues and anything else that could lead to your boiler breaking down.
If you avoid having your boiler inspected before winter, you’re gambling with the possiblity of costing yourself expesive emergency repairs and having no heat at the worst possible time. By having a routine boiler check/pre-season inspection early in the fall will determine whether or not you waste your money and freeze!
Have you had your boiler checked?
Regardless of whether or not your boiler is making noises doesn’t mean it won’t break down. You should have you boiler checked before every heating season whether it’s making noises or not.
To make sure you’re safe during the winter months and don’t get stuck without heat during winter, click to schedule a preseason boiler inspection with Vince.
