Boiler repair and service in northern Utah

Check for danger first, then protect the house from the cold.

1. Gas smell: leave now. Call the gas utility or 911 from outside, then call us.
2. Carbon monoxide alarm: get everyone out and call 911.
3. Thermostat: make sure it is set to heat and set above the room temperature. Put in fresh batteries if it uses them.
4. Display and gauge: write down any error code and the reading on the pressure gauge. Do not keep pressing reset.
5. Water on the floor: stay out of it. If water is spraying, close the main water valve for the house.
6. Pipes: open the cabinet doors under sinks on outside walls and let those faucets drip.

Do not open the boiler cover or touch the gas valve, the vent, the relief valve, or any wiring. Leave those for a licensed plumber.

A boiler shuts down to protect itself. These are the usual reasons.

• Ignition fault. A worn igniter or flame sensor keeps the burner from lighting, and the boiler locks out.
• Failed circulator pump. The boiler gets hot, but the water does not move and the house stays cold.
• Stuck zone valve or bad thermostat. One zone is cold while the others heat.
• Low pressure or air in the system. You hear gurgling, and the highest rooms go cold first.
• Failed expansion tank. Pressure climbs as the water heats, and the relief valve drips.
• Scale or sludge. The heat exchanger overheats and the boiler bangs or whistles.
• Frozen or blocked condensate line. A condensing boiler shuts down during a cold snap.
• Buried vent. Enbridge Gas tells customers to keep snow and ice off the gas meter and appliance exhaust vents.

We work from the safest checks to the smallest part.

1. Questions by phone. We ask what the display shows, what the pressure gauge reads, and which rooms are cold.
2. Safety check. We check for gas leaks, carbon monoxide, and venting problems.
3. Testing. We check combustion, ignition, the controls, the circulators, the zone valves, the expansion tank, and the system pressure.
4. Free estimate. We show you what failed and explain the repair before work starts.
5. Repair. We replace the failed part, purge the air, and bring the system back to pressure.
6. Proof. We run every zone and confirm heat at the far end of each loop.

Common parts are usually replaced in one visit. If a part has to be ordered, we talk through how to keep the pipes from freezing until it arrives.

Repair the boiler when a part has failed and the heat exchanger is sound. Replace it when the core of the boiler is failing.

Repair makes sense for an igniter, flame sensor, circulator, zone valve, expansion tank, relief valve, or control board. These parts wear out on any boiler.

Replacement is worth pricing when:

• the heat exchanger is cracked or leaking.
• parts for the model are no longer made.
• the boiler locks out again and again after repairs.
• the boiler is far larger than the house needs and cycles on and off all day.
• a remodel or addition changes the heating load.

We will give you an estimate for both when the choice is close. A boiler that fails in January forces a fast decision, so it helps to know where yours stands before winter.

We give free estimates. The cost of a boiler repair depends on these things.

• The part. A flame sensor is a small job. A circulator, a control board, or a heat exchanger is a larger one.
• The type of boiler. A cast iron boiler and a wall-hung condensing boiler use different parts and take different labor.
• Parts supply. Parts for an older or less common model can take longer to get.
• The state of the system. Air, sludge, or worn-out antifreeze may have to be dealt with before the repair will hold.
• Access. A boiler packed into a tight mechanical room takes longer to work on.
• Related parts. A failed expansion tank often takes the relief valve with it.

We explain each line of the estimate. Financing is available for larger repairs.

Schedule a yearly service visit before the heating season. Enbridge Gas tells customers to have natural gas appliances inspected annually by a qualified, licensed heating contractor.

On a boiler service we:

• test combustion and clean the burner and heat exchanger.
• check the system pressure, the expansion tank, and the relief valve.
• run each circulator and zone valve.
• clear the condensate trap and drain on a condensing boiler.
• test the antifreeze if the system has it.
• purge air from the loops.

The stakes are higher in the mountains. In Park City, the normal January low is 15.6°F, and an average of 3.6 January days reach 0°F or colder. A boiler that quits in an empty house can lead to frozen pipes before anyone notices. A low-temperature alarm is worth adding to any home that sits empty in winter.