Once a year, ideally in early fall before you need it. Annual service matters more on a boiler than on most heating equipment because of two local factors: hard water scaling the heat exchanger, and the combustion safety checks that cannot be done any other way.

What Annual Service Covers

  • Combustion analysis and carbon monoxide testing
  • Heat exchanger inspection for cracks, corrosion, and scale
  • Burner cleaning and gas pressure verification
  • Pressure relief valve and expansion vessel testing
  • Circulator pump operation and noise check
  • System pressure, and topping up or diagnosing why it keeps dropping
  • Flue and venting inspection
  • Controls, aquastat, and safety limit testing
  • Water quality check and flushing where scale or sludge has built up

Why Hard Water Makes This Non-Optional Here

Albuquerque and Santa Fe water carries substantial dissolved calcium and magnesium. In a boiler that scales the heat exchanger, which insulates it, reduces heat transfer, restricts flow, and produces the rumbling “kettling” sound homeowners often describe. Left alone, scale is a leading cause of premature heat exchanger failure — the most expensive component in the system. Annual attention catches it while flushing still works.

The Safety Case

A boiler burns gas in an enclosed space. Combustion analysis, carbon monoxide testing, and the pressure relief valve check are all safety items requiring instruments and training. The relief valve in particular is the last line of defense against an over-pressurized system, and it can seize shut without any outward sign.

When to Service More Often

Older cast iron units, systems with a history of scale or sludge, and commercial boilers running long hours all warrant more frequent attention. If your boiler also produces domestic hot water, it runs year-round rather than seasonally, which argues for closer monitoring.

Between Visits

Watch system pressure on the gauge, bleed radiators that run cold at the top, and note any new noises. Consider a water softener — it protects the boiler, your water heater, and your fixtures at once.

Contact B. Carlson for boiler service in Albuquerque or Santa Fe.