No heat, a leaking boiler or a gas smell right now
Gas smell or carbon monoxide alarm: leave first
Get everyone outside, including pets. Do not touch switches or phones inside. From outside, call 911 or Eversource. A plumber comes after the building is cleared. Gas work in Massachusetts is licensed work, so do not try to fix gas parts yourself.
No heat at all
Check that the thermostat is calling for heat, the boiler switch is on and the breaker has not tripped. If a gas valve looks closed, do not reopen it yourself, call us. If nothing helps, call the 24/7 line.
Water leaking from the boiler
Turn off the water feed valve to the boiler and the boiler power switch. Keep people away from wet electrical areas. A small drip from a relief valve is still a sign of a problem.
Banging, rumbling or whistling
Loud noises can mean trapped air, scale or a failing circulator. Shut the boiler down if the noise is severe.
Boiler shuts off and will not restart
Most boilers lock out for safety. Resetting once is reasonable, but repeated lockouts mean a real fault.
With a cold house, keep doors closed to the heated rooms, close curtains and wear layers. If pipes are at risk of freezing, call us early. A licensed plumber is sent as soon as one is available, and we never promise a specific arrival time.
How a Massachusetts boiler heats your home
Many Massachusetts homes heat with a hot water or steam boiler feeding cast iron radiators or baseboard. In a hot water system, a pump moves heated water through the loops and back. In a steam system, the boiler makes steam that rises on its own and returns as condensate.
The two systems fail differently, so the first job is knowing which you have. A pressure gauge and a small sight glass on the boiler usually settle it. Steam systems show a water level glass, and hot water systems show a pressure gauge.
Hot water boiler
- Pressure gauge reads about 12 to 15 psi cold on most residential units
- Needs a circulator and an expansion tank
- Common problems: air, low pressure, pump or zone valve failure
- Radiators and baseboard warm evenly
Steam boiler
- Sight glass shows the water level
- Common problems: low water, clogged vents, stuck traps
- Radiators heat from the pipe end out, with a hiss at the vent
- Needs routine blowdown and level control checks
Pressure, expansion tank and circulator problems
Pressure too low
A hot water system that loses pressure may have a leak or a failed expansion tank. Topping it up repeatedly hides the cause.
Pressure too high
Pressure that climbs past the safe range, or a relief valve that drips, often points to a waterlogged expansion tank.
Circulator not running
If the boiler is hot but radiators are cold, the pump may have failed or seized. A pump is a routine replacement.
Cold radiators and a silent boiler?
Call (603) 815-9179 and a licensed plumber will find the fault, whether it is the pump, valve or control.
Zone valves, air in the lines and bleeding radiators
If one room is cold and the rest are warm, a stuck zone valve or air in that loop is the likely cause. A gurgling radiator or a cold top edge usually means trapped air.
Bleeding a radiator is a safe homeowner step if you do it carefully. It is for hot water systems only, not steam.
Turn the heat down and let it cool
Hot water can scald. Wait until the radiator is cool to the touch.
Find the bleed valve
It is a small valve at the top corner of a cast iron or baseboard radiator.
Open it slightly with a key or screwdriver
Hold a cloth under it. Air hisses out. Close the valve as soon as water appears.
Check the boiler pressure
Bleeding lowers pressure. If the gauge dips below the normal range, call a plumber rather than guessing.
Lockouts, ignition and gas boilers
A boiler that will not light, or lights and then shuts off, may have a dirty flame sensor, a failed igniter, a blocked flue or a gas supply issue. Eversource is the gas utility serving Methuen, and the city has issued an alert about Eversource replacing older cast iron and bare steel gas mains, so a street-side gas issue is the utility's to fix.
If the burner tries repeatedly and fails, do not keep resetting it. A licensed plumber can check the controls. Any work on gas piping requires a licensed gas fitter, and we will tell you if the cause is on the utility side.
Boiler repairs follow the manufacturer's service guidelines for your model, and in Massachusetts gas boiler work is licensed work that must meet the state plumbing and gas standards.
Cast iron radiators last for generations, but valves, vents and pipe joints around them age. A radiator that hammers or leaks at the valve stem often needs a repacked or replaced valve, not a new radiator. Frozen pipes are also a risk in Massachusetts winters, especially in unheated basements and exterior walls.
Repair or replace the boiler
| Situation | Usually | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Failed circulator or zone valve | Repair | Parts are routine and the rest of the system is sound |
| Dirty sensor or igniter | Repair | Cheap parts, quick fix |
| Leak from the boiler body or heat exchanger | Replace | Cracks and corrosion cannot be patched reliably |
| Repeated repairs in one season | Price a replacement | Cumulative repair cost approaches replacement |
| Boiler near the end of its life | Price a replacement | A repair buys time but does not add years |
Winter prep and cost factors
Check your boiler before the heating season, not in January when every company is busy. Look for drips, rust at the joints and a pressure gauge that sits where it normally does. Call if anything looks different from last year. If a leak or valve failure requires more, we cover that under our water heater repair and leak detection services as well.
What affects the price
Boiler jobs vary from a ten-minute reset to a full replacement. We name the factors.
Want your real number? Call (603) 815-9179 and we will talk through your system.
Questions we hear
Yes. The 24/7 line at (603) 815-9179 is staffed around the clock. We dispatch a licensed plumber as soon as one is available and tell you what to do while you wait.
Leave the building and call 911 or the gas utility from outside. Do not go back in until it is cleared. A plumber can check the boiler after that.
On a hot water system, yes, if the radiator is cool and you close the valve as soon as water appears. Do not do it on steam. Check boiler pressure afterward.
A leak somewhere in the system, a failed expansion tank or a bleed valve left open. Topping it up without finding the cause only delays the problem.
Ask the dispatcher whether your system type is covered. Tell the dispatcher whether your boiler burns gas or oil, and describe the radiators and valves so the plumber knows what to expect.
Yes. Look for leaks, rust and an odd pressure reading before the first cold snap, and call if something is off. A small problem is easier to fix in October than on a freezing night.
Tell the dispatcher what you need. The plumber can assess repair options and explain when repairs are no longer worth it. Replacement needs a permit pulled by the licensed plumber.
No heat tonight? Call (603) 815-9179 and speak with a dispatcher.