So, you found water leaking around the bottom of your boiler! We would recommend you calling a professional heating contractor to come out to assess and identify the source of the leaking boiler to determine whether a repair is needed or your whole system needs to be replaced.  If you have a boiler leak during cold weather, it’s typically considered a heating emergency since you have no heat. This is the job of a certified heating contractor and a decision that can save your home.

Most heating companies will come out to just diagnose your heating system for a service charge. A trained HVAC technician will be able to identify if the boiler can be repaired or needs replacement. If the HVAC contractor finds a broken pipe, cracked tank or damaged connector there are different approaches to repair or replace the leaking boiler. Keep in mind that if the boiler is repaired, identifying the cause of damage is essential to prevent it from reoccurring.

Any good heating company will inspect your leaking boiler, assist in the maintenance and prevention of future problems that could arise and give you some good, safe and sound advice. But, great heating companies will take the few extra minutes to educate you on the things to look for in the future to avoid potential new hazards. Putting your safety first!

Most of homeowners aren’t sure whether the leak they have identified is ‘normal’, it’s critical that you do not assess the risk yourself unless you are an trained HVAC professional. Most older boiler systems that were manufactured in the 1960s and 1970s or even earlier (if your boiler dates back to the time your home was built) will probably need to be replaced. This is because it is very difficult to get parts for these old boiler models and because most manufacturers of new boiler models have made improvements over the past decade that are based on consumer safety and energy efficiency.

Now that winter is around the corner and you have no heat, you wouldn’t want to wait until your home gets so cold that you may run the risk of freezing your pipes, too. It’s time to pick up the phone and call your local heating company.