How Can I Tell If My Circulator Pump Needs Replacement?

Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning

Gaithersburg HVAC Contractors

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Having a well-running boiler is essential for most modern households. It provides the hot water in your home that keeps you and your family happy with warm baths, hot water for washing dishes, and so on. But if you’ve noticed your boiler isn’t functioning fully because of the circulator pump, that can cause a big inconvenience in your home. When you know your circulator pump is the problem, you’re probably asking yourself, ‘How can I tell if my circulator pump needs replacement? or How can I tell if my circulator pump needs repair? We’ll go through some of the common issues with circulator pumps so that you can make the best call and expedite the heating repair process should the need arise.

How Does a Circulator Pump Work?

Your circulator pump is a primary component of your boiler system. It circulates hot water from the boiler system into the piping of different hot water sources of your home, like the bathroom sink and kitchen sink. As a homeowner, you appreciate having hot water; you probably appreciate it more when you don’t have any due to an issue with your circulator pump.

Common Circulator Pump Issues

A malfunctioning pump may be an inconvenience in your home, but know that this is a common problem. Listed below are a few common circulator pump problems that you can reference to determine what may be wrong with your pump and how you may be able to remedy it.

Noisy Pump

If you’ve checked out your boiler only to notice the pump has been making a lot of noise, that’s something to take note of. This could be indicative of excessive air within the pump. You may be able to solve the problem by letting the air out of the pump. If that doesn’t solve the problem, more than likely the pump’s bearing came loose and is rattling in the pump.  

Leaky Pump

Have you noticed your pump is leaking? If so, it probably has to do with faulty joints/flanges in the pump that’s causing water to leak out. You’ll notice that this will affect the water pressure inside the home, where water running out of the faucet will come out with considerably less pressure. Apply caulk where the leak(s) are and see if this solves the problem for the time being.

Non-Running Pump

Is there hot water running in one sink but not the other? This means that the pump is not working and could signify a range of problems, such as part damage, lack of power in the pump, corroded wires, small pump size, and so on. The types of problems don’t have suggested “quick fixes.”

Heating Repair or Replacement?

Once you’ve begun to evaluate which of these is the cause of your circulator pump not working, you have a choice to either replace it or repair it. If you’re experiencing any of the issues previously mentioned, and the fixes suggested didn’t work, you could take the time to repair/rebuild it. This could save some money on labor costs, but it’s important to do this only if you have enough experience to do so.

For those with less experience, it may be best to go ahead and replace your pump. Circulator pumps are small in size, making them harder to repair on your own. On top of that, they aren’t made to last forever. It’s much more common to replace a pump than it is to repair one extensively. Additionally, you should consider having a professional take care of the replacement as an inexperienced replacement could end up damaging the boiler, leading to other issues in repair.

Whatever you decide to do, make sure you get the heating repair or replacement taken care of as soon as you can. A broken circulator may start out as a small inconvenience, but it could lead to more serious problems if it doesn’t get taken care of in a timely manner. A broken circulator pump could cause your entire boiler to eventually break down, which will be much more costly than replacing the pump. Your low-pressure water or cold showers would be the least of your worries if you end up having to deal with a busted boiler that suffered more damage only because you tried to fix it and ended up making it worse. Consider this before you decide to go it alone.

Contact Heating Repair Contractors

So, should you repair or replace your circulator pump? We hope this breakdown of common pump issues helps you to decide the best course of action so you can get back to enjoying hot water in your home.

If you’re looking for an experienced professional to take care of your circulator pump, or any other HVAC issue, know that you can trust Presidential Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc. to get any heating repair done done. Contact us online to schedule your pump replacement or call us at (301) 719-3315.