During the middle of a cold winter, and your boiler suddenly shuts off and fails to start up again, your home will quickly begin to get very cold. A boiler is fairly reliable and most of the reasons why they fail to start can be easily corrected. Depending on what problem occurred, you may be able to start your boiler yourself. However, some problems may require professional assistance. New York Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing would like to share why a boiler may fail to start and what needs to be done to restore your home’s heating system.
Boiler Fuel Inlet Valve is Closed
A boiler’s burners use a fuel line that consists of a few valves that are usually located near or on the fuel tank. Some of these valves are the pump suction valve and discharge valve. These valves are often called the fuel inlet valve, which supply the burner with fuel. At times these valves can set to the closed position which will prevent the fuel from lighting the burner and for the boiler to start a heating cycle. One of the first steps when troubleshooting why a boiler is not starting, is to check the inlet valves and make sure the burner are being supplied with fuel.
Choked Fuel Line on Boiler
Some boilers run on a heavy oil or diesel fuel, these boilers are prone to developing a choked filter system. The fuel line filters can become corroded and need to be cleaned. If the fuel line and or the filters are dirty they will need to be cleaned. Even though this is a simple task, it is recommended to have the fuel line cleaned by a professional to ensure properly cleaning and re-assembly.
Boiler Fuel Pump Failed
The boiler requires a supply of fuel to ignite the burner to begin a heating cycle. The boiler uses a pump to supply the burner with fuel. When the pump fails then the boiler will not start up. One of the reasons why a boiler pump isn’t working is when the pump system is set to manual and not the auto setting. Another reason why the pump isn’t working is when the circuit that powers the pump has tripped. In some cases the pump may have worn down and need to be replaced.
Boiler Flame Eye Failure
The flame eye is the component that operates the flame sensor. The flame sensor is part of the boiler’s safety system. If the burners do not fire up or there is no flame present, the flame sensor will not allow the boiler to start up in case the gas is leaking. When the flame sensor malfunctions, it is the flame eye that is affecting it. The flame eye may be corroded and need to be cleaned or replaced.
Forced Air Furnace & Boiler Maintenance, Repair, Replacement & More in Bedford Hills, Manhattan, Flushing, Queens, Brooklyn & The Bronx, New York
These are some of the reasons why the boiler may not start up, but certainly not all of them. A boiler starting system is complex and often it is best to seek out professional heating and cooling services to help determine why your boiler is not starting up. If you need help restoring your home’s heating system,
contact New York Air Conditioning, Heating & Plumbing today.
