Gas Boiler Repair and Maintenance in Kokomo, Indiana
A lot of the older houses in Kokomo, from the Old Silk Stocking neighborhood to the two-stories around downtown, still heat with a gas boiler and cast-iron radiators. When one of those boilers quits on a January night, you need someone who knows hot water heat, not just forced air. Summers Plumbing Heating & Cooling has been serving Kokomo since 1969, and our techs repair and tune up gas boilers across Howard and Tipton counties from our shop at 1609 Rank Pkwy Ct. Phones are answered 24/7.
Book boiler repair or call (765) 236-1212.
Boiler Problems We Fix in Kokomo
- No heat, and the boiler won’t fire. Usually an ignitor, flame sensor, thermocouple on an older standing-pilot boiler, a pressure switch, or a low-water cutoff that has tripped. Most of these are fixed on the first visit.
- Some radiators hot, others cold. Air trapped in the system, a circulator pump that’s failing, or a zone valve stuck shut. Upstairs radiators going cold first is the classic sign of air or low pressure.
- Pressure gauge climbing, or the relief valve dripping. Most often a waterlogged expansion tank or a fill valve that won’t shut off. Don’t cap a dripping relief valve. It’s there to keep the boiler from over-pressurizing.
- Banging, gurgling or a kettle sound. Air in the pipes, or scale and sludge built up inside an older boiler. Purging the air or flushing the system often quiets it down.
- Water on the floor around the boiler. It could be a loose fitting, a bad pump seal, a failing drain valve or the relief valve. We find the source before we talk about the fix.
- Pilot keeps going out, or you smell exhaust. Shut the boiler off and call. A blocked flue or poor draft is a carbon monoxide risk, and we check draft and CO on every gas boiler call.
- Gas smell near the boiler. Leave the house and call your gas utility first. Once it’s safe, we’ll find and repair the problem.
What a Summers Boiler Repair Visit Looks Like
You call (765) 236-1212 or book online, and a real person answers, day or night. The tech checks the burner, ignition and controls, the circulator pump, the expansion tank, system pressure and the venting. You’ll hear what’s wrong in plain terms and get the cost in writing before any work starts. Most repairs are done the same visit when the part is on the truck.
When Repair Stops Making Sense
Most boiler problems are worth fixing. But if the boiler has a cracked section, leaks from the block itself, or needs a major part every winter, we’ll tell you straight that more repairs aren’t a good use of your money, so you can plan ahead instead of finding out in the middle of a cold snap.
Boiler Maintenance and Tune-Up
A boiler that gets a yearly visit in September or October is far less likely to quit on you in February. A boiler tune-up covers:
- Cleaning and adjusting the burner and checking the flame
- A combustion and carbon monoxide test
- Checking the flue, vent connector and chimney draft
- Checking system pressure and the expansion tank
- Testing the relief valve and the low-water cutoff
- Checking the circulator pump and zone valves
- Bleeding air from radiators that need it and looking for leaks
Between visits, keep the area around the boiler clear, glance at the pressure gauge once in a while, and bleed any radiator that stays cool at the top. If your boiler also heats your household water through an indirect tank, Kokomo’s hard water matters. Scale builds up in the tank and coil over time, so we check that too. Our post on Kokomo water hardness explains why.
Serving Kokomo, Howard County and Tipton County
From the Rank Parkway shop we cover all of Kokomo plus Greentown, Russiaville, Sharpsville, Tipton, Windfall and the roads in between. If the house also has a forced-air furnace, see furnace repair in Kokomo, or browse all heating services in Kokomo.
Boiler FAQs for Kokomo Homeowners
Why are some of my radiators cold while others are hot?
The usual causes are air trapped in the system, low system pressure, a failing circulator pump, or a stuck zone valve. Bleeding the cold radiators sometimes fixes it. If they go cold again, call us and we’ll find the cause.
What should the pressure gauge on my boiler read?
On a typical two-story home with a hot water boiler, about 12 to 15 psi when the boiler is cold and somewhat higher when it’s hot. If it gets near 30 psi, where most relief valves open, call us.
Why is the relief valve on my boiler dripping?
Usually the expansion tank is waterlogged or the fill valve is letting in too much water, so pressure climbs as the boiler heats up. Don’t plug or cap the valve. It’s a safety device. We can test the tank and fill valve and fix the cause.
How often should a gas boiler be serviced?
Once a year, ideally in September or October before the first cold snap. A yearly tune-up includes a carbon monoxide test and catches small problems before they turn into a no-heat call.
Is my old boiler still worth repairing?
Usually, yes. Cast-iron gas boilers often run for decades with yearly service, and most repairs are parts like ignitors, pumps, valves and controls. If the boiler has a cracked section or keeps needing major parts, we’ll tell you straight when repair stops making sense.
What kinds of boilers do you work on?
Our Kokomo team repairs and maintains natural gas boilers, including the older cast-iron boilers that feed radiators in many Kokomo homes. Not sure what you have? Call (765) 236-1212 and we’ll tell you right away if we can help with your system.
