We’re Your Boiler Repair Experts in Portage and Kalamazoo

Picture walking in from work one day and opening the door to an icebox. Any thoughts of comfort vanish as you frantically tap “boiler repair near me” into a browser search bar. After reviewing a few vendors local to the Kalamazoo area, you decide to give (269) 381-9045 a call. In short order, our technician will arrive to diagnose the issue with your boiler and present repair recommendations along with any options. At times, the solution is simple. In other instances, it might be more efficient to just replace the system. Either way, you can count on our HVAC experts to get the job done.

For more information on why your boiler might be acting up—and warning signs there might be a problem—we invite you to read on.

Signs Your Boiler Needs Repair

Boilers use fuel like natural gas to heat water, which is circulated throughout the building to provide heat. While the process may seem simple, boilers are actually quite complex, and a problem in any of the main components like the burner tubes, the water regulator, pressure switches, pumps, or combustion controls may render the system inoperable. Here are some common signs that your boiler needs repair:

1. It's not putting out enough heat to reach the target temperature on the thermostat
2. The unit refuses to start or shuts off at random
3. Breakers and safety devices trip when it's turned on
4. Water is pooling around it or leaking from your pipes
5. The system seems to be constantly refilling
6. You hear strange noises or clunking sounds
7. The smell of sulfur, burning, or mildew becomes evident

If you notice any of the above items, don't worry. Give (269) 381-9045 a call and we'll come out. Our boiler repair experts work in Portage, Kalamazoo, Mattawan, and beyond.

The Most Common Causes of Boiler Failure

Is your boiler not producing heat? Are there cold spots on your radiator or strange noises from your pipes? Diagnosing the causes of these issues takes an expert's eye. This is because the complexity of boilers often makes pinpointing the root of a problem difficult. We find many boiler issues in the Portage and Mattawan areas are caused by:

• Broken Pilot Lights: Without a functioning pilot light, your boiler can't heat its fuel source. Though sometimes caused by a dirty burner, it's typically the result of a broken thermocouple.
• Frozen Condensate Pipes: Condensate pipes transport acidic water produced by the boiler to an outside drain. In extreme cold, this pipe can freeze and burst. This will produce an error code and alert you to a need for an HVAC technician.
• Excess Pressure: If your pressure gauge reads below “1” or in the red, your system is having a pressure problem. This can be caused by a water leak, faulty pressure relief valve, or excess air in the system. The best way to pinpoint the problem is to give Bartholomew Heating & Cooling, Inc.—Kalamazoo’s boiler repair experts—a call.
• Kettling: If your boiler’s making a deep rumbling sound, like a tea kettle on the verge of whistling, you have a pretty serious heating problem. This is typically caused by sludge or scale build-up on the heat exchanger. This obstructs the water, leading to kettling and whistling.
• Boiler Leaks: The most obvious sign of a boiler system is a leak. These can be a real nuisance, not only because of the water damage but because of the electrical malfunctions which typically follow.

Though boilers can fail throughout the heating system, problems typically occur at the beginning of winter after a long period of disuse. The sudden pressure on the system often strains worn out components leading to system failures. To stop your family from losing heat when you need it most, we suggest scheduling boiler maintenance annually.

For Expert Boiler Service in Kalamazoo Call Bartholomew Heating & Cooling, Inc.

If you live in the Kalamazoo area, reliable boiler repair is just a phone call away. Bartholomew Heating's HVAC professionals have been fixing broken boilers in Michigan since 1955. This has equipped us with the expertise necessary to pinpoint and fix most common boiler issues. If we find that a repair isn’t economical, we’ll provide a quote on full system replacement. To see why so many of your neighbors rely on us for heating service, check out our list of happy customers on Google!