You’re in bed, it’s late at night and it’s all so… quiet. Then suddenly your boiler is doing its best tea kettle impression. It’s trying to tell you something. Machines may not be able to talk but they can communicate. Well, not really ‘feelings’ but you can easily work out how your boiler’s ‘feeling’ just by listening to it. And if you listen closely, chances are it’s just saying something like this:
The Clunking and Banging (The “Kettling” Tantrum)
This is the sound of your boiler freaking out because you haven’t cleaned it properly. Over time, the oils in the fuel combine with hard water to create thick deposits of lime scale and sludge on the inside of the boiler, just like spots forming under the skin. When this mixture comes into contact with the red hot centre of the boiler’s heat exchange, it boils furiously and rapidly creates pockets of steam. These bubbles are under huge pressure and when the steam bursts out it sounds rather like your boiler is smashing pots around in its kitchen – so the name kettling. This can seriously damage the boiler and since a new one will set you back anything between £500 and £5,000, perhaps take heed. ‘I’ll never last if I keep bursting like this,’ the boiler screams, ‘my innards will burst and splatter everywhere.’
The High-Pitched Whistling (The Tea Kettle Impersonator)
This whining whistle can come on gradually; sometimes it starts off as a low whirring and builds into a hideous scream. You might find your boiler doing this if there is air or gas trapped somewhere in the heating system – perhaps caused by a loose screw, a dodgy pump, a bad seal on a pipe or a dodgy thermostat. Put that whining through Google Translate and the boiler is saying: ‘Oh no, there’s something wrong and I’m feeling the pressure!’ The pressure building up eventually makes your boiler go on strike, refusing to work until it’s dealt with. For a Cheltenham Boiler Service, visit https://www.combi-man.com/
The Continuing Gurgling (The Hot Tub Vibe)
If you notice bubbling sounds emanating from your boiler, do not be fooled into thinking it has decided to have a relaxing bath and is inviting you in for a soak. Oh no, it’s more likely that there is too much air trapped inside it or the pipes and perhaps even water inside your boiler itself (which is a no-no). If you live in a very cold area, frozen pipes can cause this sort of gurgling too. Translate that bloop-bloop and this is what the boiler is actually saying: ‘Help! I think I might drown under here!’ Check your radiators and bleed them if necessary and see that the condensate flow is clear. If it is winter, try pouring warm water over any frozen sections of the outside pipework.
