Repairing your own boiler could save you a lot of frustrations and money, but you need to know what you are doing in order to properly solve your problems. Some repairs involve completely draining your boiler tank. Partially draining the tank is often recommended by some manufacturers in order to guard against buildup. If you have an issue that you need to repair however, you may need to completely drain the boiler and doing so properly is critical. Following are 5 steps that you should follow, in order, to properly drain the boiler tank.
- Disable the fuse or breaker. Before you begin working with a boiler at all you should ensure that you have completely cut power to the unit. Turn off the boiler at your electrical panel to be certain that you are not going to get a jolt when repairing it.
- Turn the water off at the boiler. After you have cut power, turn off the water supply at the boiler. There should be a shut off valve located near the cold water pipe. Turn this valve to cut water supply to the boiler. If you are having trouble finding the water shut off valve you can shut the water off to your home from the main before you go any further.
- Prepare for draining. This is a critical step in ensuring that you do not cause water damage to your floors. Place a bucket or other large item for catching the water flow at the bottom of the boiler underneath the drain valve. You can also attach a garden hose to the drain valve and simply run the hose out a window or to your bathtub or sink in order for the water to drain. Only after you have secured a way for the water to drain out should you begin the draining.
- Once you have finished draining you will need to close the valve. You can do this either immediately after you have drained the boiler or you can wait until you have completed your repairs. It is important that you are following manufacturer’s guidelines and suggestions for repairing the boiler. If this is a problem that you are unsure of how to repair or you are not comfortable in working directly with the boiler, you may want to call a plumber to fix the problem. Be certain that your valve is closed before you begin running water and power to the boiler after the repairs.
- Once you have completed the repairs that you need to do, you can begin filling up the tank once again. Begin by restoring water to the tank and then turn on the power. Turning on the power before adding water could cause the boiler to burn out. It is essential that your water supply is restored before the boiler begins trying to heat.
Again, if you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with repairing your boiler, this may be a do-it-yourself job that you want to skip. Always ensure that you are being careful when working with electrical appliances and follow instructions by the manufacturer very carefully for operation.
This article was written by The Plumb Store. Visit our website for Myson radiators information and to view our vast selection of high quality products.