What’s Inside a Typical Boiler?

Boilers are now more or less a standard appliance in British homes. They help to supply the home with hot water and also provide hot water for central heating systems. Once installed, they are then often set to turn on or off at certain times to help reduce heating bills.

They don’t usually need much interaction once they are set-up, although boiler servicing is recommended from time to time to help keep the boiler in good working condition.

A typical boiler consists of various components that do different jobs. Together, they help to provide a constant supply of hot water for your convenience and comfort. Here’s a look at some of the different parts that help to make a boiler such an important part of modern homes.

Gas Jets

Gas jets provide the heat that helps to keep the water hot. Gas is released from the jets and most boilers come with an ignition switch that makes it easy to light the gas. Once lit, the jets will provide a constant supply of heat.

These jets can be turned up or down to provide more or less heat as is necessary. This system is often automated so the jets can be altered automatically at different times of the day. Occasional boiler servicing is recommended to help ensure these jets are working as they should.

Less common are also immersion heaters. These are tanks of water that are kept hot using electrical elements, in much the same way an electric kettle will heat water. These tanks are usually heavily insulated on the outside to help prevent heat loss from the tank.

Heat Exchanger

In a standard gas boiler, you will find a heat exchanger, and this does pretty much as you would expect. These are designed to help maximise the transfer of heat from the heat source into the water being carried through the pipes. This helps to provide a source of almost instant hot water.

Boiler Servicing Panel

Boilers come with a removable panel at the front of the unit. Whenever they need to be serviced, a technician can remove the panel to gain access to the components inside. It is recommended that you do not try to do this yourself and leave it up to boiler servicing experts. When dealing with gas, it can be easy to make an error which results in gas leaking out of the unit into the home.

The Pump

The water won’t work its way around the system itself, especially when the boiler is located on the ground floor. A pump is required to force the water around the system. A common problem is that there may not be enough water pressure in the system to push the water to the high floors. In this case, you should contact a boiler servicing expert.

Pipes

One thing that all boilers will have is pipes going into the boiler unit. These pipes take water into the boiler so that it can be heated. The same circuit of pipes then carries the hot water to wherever it is needed around the home. These pipes are often hot to the touch.

If you’ve got any questions about your boiler, or you think there might be a problem, get in touch with us today.