Sometimes rust on your boiler can be easily fixed. Other times, rust can be a death sentence for your boiler. It just depends on where the rust is and how severely your boiler is corroded. The question is, how do you know when rust is too much or too bad?
Our team can help. Just schedule an appointment with us for boiler service. We can help you decide whether your boiler is worth repairing or if you need to schedule a boiler replacement in Staten Island, NY. You can also keep reading to learn more about why your boiler may be rusting and when rust is a major concern.
Boiler Design
Before we discuss rust, it’s important to understand that your boiler has a unique design. Boilers are completely airtight so that they block out airflow. It doesn’t mean that air is not a part of your boiler’s operation, but the boiler design helps to regulate airflow so that it does not mix in with some of the areas where water is flowing. If a boiler is not airtight, air can mix in with the water and oxidize which allows rust to begin developing inside of the system.
Reasons for Rust
Aside from airflow, rust can also develop for a variety of other reasons. For example, the water quality may be impacted and pH levels may be off. It’s possible for pH levels that are either too high or too low to lead to corrosion. Low pH levels lead to caustic corrosion while high pH levels lead to acidic corrosion. The pH levels need to be balanced inside of the system for optimal results.
It’s also possible that boiler operation is having a negative impact on the system and allowing rust to develop. If something is wrong with how your boiler is operating, there may be too much pressure building up in certain areas of the system. This can add stress and strain that contribute to corrosion and rust.
Addressing Rust
There is good news and bad news when it comes to rust being inside of your boiler. The bad news is that many times rust cannot be reversed. This is especially true if rust develops on the inside of the system. Unless there is a specific component rusting that we can isolate and replace, you may need to overhaul your entire boiler. Once rust begins, it cannot be repaired or reversed.
The good news is that there are many instances when we can replace specific components on your boiler that are rusting. For example, the exchanger is one area where we see rust fairly frequently. This is a component that we can replace before rust spreads to other areas of your boiler.
Of course, you want to consider that if your boiler is already up in age, a repair may not make sense. You can usually expect a boiler to last for around 15 years. The closer you get to that 15 year mark, or if you surpass it, an expensive repair may not make sense. You may not get enough life out of your boiler to make the investment worth it. Instead, you may want to look at installing an entirely new boiler that has greater energy efficiency and a long life ahead.
Serving Staten Island’s Heating and A/C needs since 1955. Contact the Bob Mims team to schedule an appointment for your boiler service today!
