If Your Boiler Starts Making This Noise, Call for Repairs Immediately

Have you ever noticed your boiler making a deep rumbling sound? If so, you have a problem. That sound is called “kettling,” and it indicates a serious problem with the system.  If the problem is not properly repaired, it can threaten the health of not only the boiler, but the surrounding area as well.  Let’s take a look at what causes boiler kettling, and what it can do to the system.

Hard Water

Hard water is water with a high calcium and magnesium content. As this water flows through the boiler system, it deposits small amounts of these minerals on the walls of the heat exchanger. Eventually, these minerals build into lime scale, which restricts the flow of water through the pipe. As water becomes bottlenecked in the heat exchanger, it evaporates into steam. This puts an immense amount of pressure on the walls of the pipe, which causes it to rumble. This is far from a harmless noise, though.

Effects of Kettling

The heat exchanger is not designed to cope with the stress of steam building up inside it. If the pressure is not relieved quickly enough, the heat exchanger will rupture. This is the true danger of kettling. If the heat exchanger ruptures, it will inflict serious water damage to both the boiler and the surrounding area. If you’ve ever dealt with water damage, then you know how much it can cost to repair even a small amount of it. So, if your boiler is rumbling, you should shut it off and call for repairs immediately. Otherwise, you may find yourself having to both replace your boiler and repair the surrounding area.

If your boiler is in need of repairs, call Celco Heating and Air Conditioning. We offer comprehensive boiler repair services throughout Celco.