If you're relying on a boiler to keep your home warm during winter, you need to know a few things about repairing these machines. The steps you take to troubleshoot a boiler will depend on the type of issue you encounter.

No Heat or Low Heat

This is an issue that is frequently encountered when dealing with boilers. This is because many issues can result in a complete lack of heating or inadequate levels of heating. Some of the things you should check first are:

• The Thermostat: If your thermostat is set too low, there will be very low heat levels.

• Fuse box or circuit breaker: The fuse may have burnt out or the circuit breaker may have tripped due to a power problem.

• Pilot light: The pilot light is supposed to be on at all times. If the pilot light is off, you may have to turn it on manually.

• Circulator pump: Just as the name suggests, a circulator pump circulates the water through the boiler system. If this pump has an issue, the hot water will not get to where it's needed. You'll need a boiler repair expert to handle this.

Some Radiators Not Heating Up

Another problem that is not uncommon with boilers is having some radiators heating up while others remain cool. This usually means that hot water can't find its way into the radiator or into a zone with several radiators. This can be due to:

• Airlocks: Air within the pipes can prevent water from entering a radiator. Bleeding will need to be done first.

• Faulty zone valve: If a zone valve is damaged, it may be keeping water out of a particular zone

• Faulty circulator: If the circulator pump is not functioning properly, it won't be able to circulate the hot water from the boiler properly. Radiators that are furthest away or higher may not get enough water.

Frozen Condensate Pipe

The condensate pipe is supposed to channel condensate from the boiler to an outside drain. However, the water in this pipe can freeze. This will mean the rest of the condensate will back up into the boiler causing it to shut down.

In this case, you'll need to locate the frozen pipe section and thaw it out. The freezing usually occurs at the end of the pipe or where there's a bend.

Unusual Noises

Boilers and strange noises tend to go together. A limescale buildup in the heat exchanger can cause kettling, for example. This means the heat exchanger will need to be cleaned.

When you're having any of these problems, that means you need to look for the best heating and air conditioning shop you can find to help you spot the issues with your heating system and repair them fast.