Heating Guides for Medford Homeowners
Clear answers about warning signs, causes, costs and safe next steps, written for homes in Medford and nearby towns.
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Boiler Pressure Too High or Too Low? What the Gauge Is Telling You
Most residential hot-water boilers run at roughly 12 to 20 psi when warm. Pressure creeping toward 30 psi usually points to a failed expansion tank or a leaking fill valve; pressure that keeps dropping usually means a leak or a relief valve that is letting water out. Steam boilers are different: they run at only ounces to a couple of psi.
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Steam vs. Hot-Water Heat: How to Tell Which You Have and Why It Matters
Look at the boiler. A steam boiler has a glass sight tube showing a water line and a low-pressure gauge reading in ounces or a few psi. A hot-water boiler has a combined pressure and temperature gauge reading around 12 to 20 psi and usually a circulator pump. Radiators alone can be misleading, because both systems use cast iron.
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Repair or Replace an Old Boiler? A Massachusetts Homeowner's Guide
Repair usually makes sense when the boiler is sound and a replaceable part has failed, such as an igniter, circulator, control or valve. Replacement is usually considered when the heat exchanger or a cast-iron section is cracked, repairs are frequent, parts are no longer available, or efficiency is poor. Mass Save may offer incentives for some high-efficiency equipment, which can change the numbers.
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