As you can probably guess, corrosion is really bad for your boiler. Boilers are made almost entirely of metal, as are the pipes that lead out of them. There are a lot of different things that can cause corrosion – inevitably, over time, most metals will start to rust, although boilers are crafted with some built-in anti-corrosion measures. Nevertheless, corrosion can still happen, especially if the pH of your water is off (particularly hard water is susceptible to this, as is water that’s exposed to a lot of oxygen).
While in this article we may not be able to tell you why your boiler is corroding, we can tell you how to check your boiler for corrosion. If you find corrosion, you can give us a call, and we can help you find the root cause.
Rust
The most obvious sign of corrosion is rust. In fact, rust is the natural consequence of iron corrosion – and colloquially, we call almost all metallic corrosion “rust”. You might see rust on all kinds of different places on your boiler, though you’ll most commonly see it near valves.
The rust won’t necessarily be visible on your boiler – it might be visible in your water! When there’s rusting on the inside of your boiler, that’s usually where it will show up, and though it’s unlikely boilers that are 15 years old or younger will see internal corrosion, it does happen. This is, of course, only relevant for boilers being used as hot water tanks – boilers being used as heating systems don’t rust air… so you’ll have to inspect your boiler regularly.
Leaks
Another common sign of corrosion is leaks. Now, if you have a leak, it might not be caused by corrosion, but either way, you’re going to want to get someone to check your boiler. This should probably go without saying, but leaks are very bad – you’re wasting money, and you’re reducing your boiler’s lifespan.
Pitting and Holes
Pitting is localized corrosion that leads to small holes. Holes are self-explanatory. As you can imagine, if you have pitting or holes, it can quickly lead to some pretty serious leaks. Should you see evidence of either of the two, it’s very likely you have corrosion.
Your Water Bill
If your water bill is suddenly skyrocketing, it’s another sign your boiler might have corrosion. As you’ve seen, most of the signs involve leaks, pits, and holes. What’s more, rust can lead to general inefficiencies, which might also increase your energy bill.
Now that you know how to check for corrosion, you need to know what to do about it. The answer is relatively straightforward – call for our plumbing services in Winnipeg. We can tell you whether or not your boiler needs to be repaired or replaced – unfortunately, with corrosion, it’s usually the latter.
