Is Your Boiler at the Right Pressure?

In order for your boiler to work correctly, it does need several things. However, one of the most important things that it will need in order to work correctly is the right pressure. With the right pressure, it means that the water can move through and around the property with ease. Boilers will commonly have a pressure gauge that has a needle that points at a certain number. The number that the needle points at is what really matters as the majority of systems should have a pressure that is set between 1 and 2 bars and this can often be indicated with a green area, which means that the needle should sit within this green area.

While the rule, in general, is to have the pressure set between 1 and 2, you should check the manual or speak with a professional to make sure that it is set correctly. Of course, some boilers won’t have a gauge with a needle as they have an LCD screen but still, it should be simple enough to identify the pressure of your boiler. However, it is recommended that you check the pressure of your boiler on a monthly basis. 

If the pressure of your boiler falls to a level that is lower than recommended then you will need to rectify it although you should be concerned if it is too high, low pressure can still cause your boiler to become less effective. An effective boiler is an efficient boiler and so, the less effective it is, the more you will pay for a system that doesn’t do what you want it to. So, if your pressure is too low, then you will need to look at topping up the pressure. Every boiler model and make will have a different process for doing this. However, the most common way to do this is by following the process below:

• Turn off your system and then wait for it to cool down
• Identify the filling loop which is a flexible hose that is located underneath the boiler that contains a valve at each end. Both ends need to be secured and attached to the two valves. 
• The valves can then be opened by using the handles on either side and turning them clockwise. This will allow mains cold water to enter the system.
• When you do this, watch the pressure gauge as this will increase. Once the gauge reaches 1.5 bar, you should then close the valves by turning them anti-clockwise. This will turn off the water that is entering the system.
• At this point, you can turn the boiler back on and maybe reset it, ensuring that the pressure remains in place. If the pressure does not remain at what you set it, there might be a problem with the gauge or the heating system, which means that you’ll need to call the experts.

If the pressure of your heating system is too high then you might want to consider bleeding your radiators. This is done by pushing in a small valve that is located at the top of the radiator at one end using a radiator key. You can then hold this in place until the air has been released from the system. This issue has been known to cause cold patches in radiators while some radiators won’t heat up as quickly as other radiators within the home. This is something that occurs commonly in unvented heating systems.

If you are having a problem with the pressure of your heating system then it makes sense to get your boiler looked at as quickly as possible. A boiler that has low pressure is going to mean that your system is not working efficiently. An inefficient boiler is one that costs more money to run and that is something that could add a significant amount to your bills. Furthermore, a boiler with high pressure is something that needs to be rectified as quickly as possible. If you are someone who is unsure as to what to do when you have low or high pressure, do not attempt to make any changes to your boiler. This could lead to further problems that cost more to put right. Therefore, it makes sense to call an engineer as this will ensure the problem is rectified correctly, ensuring your heating system is working correctly again.