There’s a great National Post article titled “Mars and the North Pole are warmer than Winnipeg” – it’s an article that most Winnipeggers don’t need to read (we know it’s cold here), but it is good for a laugh. Did you know that it’s regularly colder in Winnipeg than it has ever been in the entirety of Scotland’s history? I didn’t.
Point being, Winnipeg gets very cold, and there are few things less pleasant than waking up to find your hair frozen to your pillow because the boiler decided to quit in the middle of the night. We’re going to cover 5 signs that your boiler should be replaced and upgraded.
When something doesn’t feel right
You might notice that your boiler smells kind of funny. You might see spots of rust, or hear banging sounds late into the night. You might detect a slow drip, drip, drip from a leak, or notice a small puddle of water under your feet.
All of these are signs that your boiler needs to be repaired, at the very least. When you detect a lot of these issues together, it’s a good indication that you’re going to need a replacement. You never know when something can be repaired, though – it’s always a good idea to call and have a professional evaluate the situation.
When the repairs never seem to stop
While you might be able to get away with a simple repair once or twice, if the repairs keep piling on, you’ll quickly spend more money repairing your boiler than you would have by simply replacing it. Talk to your contractor when they’re doing repairs – ask them to be honest about when they suspect you’ll need another one. If you’re getting repairs every 6 months to a year, you should definitely replace – you’ll get a more efficient boiler, too, so you’ll be saving money in two ways.
When your boiler is old enough to be in high school
New boilers are getting more efficient every year – and as a rule of thumb, any boiler that’s 15-years-old, or more, should be replaced. That’s because while new boilers are getting more efficient, your old boiler is getting less efficient; by replacing a 15+ year-old boiler, you can easily increase your energy efficiency by 20% or more.
When your energy bill is sky high
Have you suddenly noticed a massive increase in your natural gas (or electric) bill compared to last winter’s, even though the cost of energy hasn’t gone up and you’ve committed to turning down the temperature and wearing fuzzy slippers? Your boiler probably isn’t operating at maximum efficiency – you’re almost literally burning money.
When you’re as cold as ice
You’re wearing your parka indoors, the floors are lined with blankets, and you’re still cold? Your boiler isn’t working right, either because it was improperly sized or because wear and tear have killed its ability to warm your house. You should check some obvious things, like whether or not your thermostat is working properly – if everything else seems to be in order, it’s probably your boiler.
Looking for Winnipeg boiler maintenance or replacement? Get in touch with us – we’ll tell you whether repair or replacement is your best option, and help you decide on which new boiler will best suit your needs.