mid-efficiency hydronic boiler: how often should I have it serviced?

elif

I am curious about how often I should have my mid-efficiency hydronic boiler serviced.

It is a conventional gas boiler on one zone and supplies cast iron radiators throughout the city row house. The brand is Williamson but I have not found any model information online. It is operating at 83 AFUE.

If you have a similar system, how often do you have it serviced? What do you ask of the plumber? Or who would you have service it?

Jamie Hall

It's not a plumber for whom you are looking. It's a competent heating technician, familiar with gas, who will have the test instruments necessary to set the combustion properly. He or she will also clean the fire side of the heat exchanger, check the flue, check the water pressure and expansion tank pressure...

It really ought to be done once a year, but every other year may be adequate.

EBEBRATT-Ed

@elif

As far as cleaning the boiler and burners you should be able to go 3-4 years if it is done correctly.

But it should have a combustion check and a quick once over every year to spot any future problems and to make sure the combustion is ok

elif

Excellent. Thank you for the insight @Jamie Hall and @EBEBRATT-Ed!

Sounds like checking combustion is key.

I'll search for qualified heating technicians in my area and use these questions to guide that process.