If your central heating is leaking, not only can it cause water damage to your home, it can also stop your heating from working, leaving you with a home that’s both wet and cold! Recognising the signs of leaking central heating can help you quickly identify the issue so you can get the problem fixed before it becomes a major hassle.
Dripping boiler
One of the most obvious signs of leaking central heating is if water is dripping from your boiler. You may be able to see water dripping from the underside of the boiler or a puddle of water may collect under the boiler. Either way, this is a strong sign that a fault has developed inside the boiler causing water to escape.
If left untreated, this problem is likely to worsen and get more expensive to fix the longer you leave it. It is therefore advisable to call in a Gas Safe-registered boiler engineer as soon as possible.
Faulty valves
Another common source of leaks is faulty radiator valves. These can sometimes be quite hard to spot and the water tends to run down the pipe under the valve and then follow the pipe under the floor. One way to identify a leaking radiator valve is to tie a piece of tissue around the pipe under the valve and then check back after a day or two to see if the tissue has become damp.
If you identify a faulty radiator valve, or even several of them, they will need replacing. Confident DIYers could consider doing this themselves, but it is highly advisable to get a professional in so you can be confident the new valve or valves will function correctly and not end up leaking as well.
Dropping pressure
The most difficult kinds of leaks to identify are those occurring from pipes under your floorboards or inside your walls. In some cases this kind of leak will cause noticeable damp patches, but this is not always true. One obvious sign of a leak, however, is if the water pressure from your boiler keeps dropping below 1 bar.
If water is leaking from your central heating system the remaining water will have more space to spread out causing a pressure drop which will generally make the boiler switch itself off. If you repressurise the system by adding more water and the pressure keeps dropping again, it is likely you have a leak and will need to call in a central heating engineer to find it and fix it. Failure to do so will mean your heating keeps switching itself off and could lead to water damage to your home.
Get watertight central heating with DHS
DHS has been offering expert boiler repairs in Bristol and the surrounding area for over 40 years. Every one of our engineers is Gas Safe-registered, with all the appropriate training and qualifications, meaning we can offer offering complete peace of mind that your boiler is being correctly maintained. So if your central heating isn’t up to scratch, get in touch with DHS for a boiler company you can trust.
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