How to stop kettling in a boiler?

You might find the sound of a boiling kettle to be pleasing, but imagine getting the same sound from you boiler. It’s going to be no less than an irritating alarm. A kettle boiling sound emerging from a boiler could be settled down to something called Kettling.

What is kettling in a boiler?

For initials, a boiler operates to heat water by using a heat exchanger. In case of hard water, the proportion of lime (calcium salts) is comparatively more which eventually gets build up on the heat exchanger and restricts the flow of water. As the water gets heated, the salt, being insoluble, settles at the bottom of the container, restricting the water flow that eventually results into the boiling which therefore expands and creates noise.

Kettling can also come up as an outcome of a number of other causes including the inappropriate installation of the boiler, a leak in your boiler system or in case of the boiler overheating/ faulty thermostat. A boiler with a faulty thermostat can prompt the system to overheat and result into kettling or a banging noise from the pump that has been stuck. In that case, replacing the thermostat might be the only option left to be followed upon.

A leak in the boiler system is another important cause of a boiler kettling. That leak could be close to the boiler system or might be throughout the pipework in your home. The cause of this leakage could be anything from a poorly installed pipework, a general corrosion over time or the pressurization of the vessel.

Each of these reasons can be classified as chemical and mechanical factors, with the chemical factors taking away the foaming and deposits in the system and mechanical factors taking gas burner pressure, flow rate settings, thermostats, system design and casting faults into consideration.

But, on a clear note, this would not result into the boiler exploding because these systems, for instance come with a number of safety controls that are installed in order to kick in and lock the boiler out before the occurrence of any such problems. While looking forward to the cause of the lock out and diagnosing the heat exchanger to get you out of the problem, is a matter of much greater importance that should be carefully considered by the plumber.

Learning about the kettling and its occurrence would give rise to an obvious question, as in how to stop kettling in a boiler?

How to stop kettling in the boiler?

As already mentioned above, the occurrence of kettling in your system can be an outcome of a number of reasons. Different problems have different solutions and we have mentioned the solution to every cause of your boiler kettling.

1. FIXING A LEAK- A system that has not been treated for a period, might have existing leaks that can temporarily be plugged with corrosion debris. If the leak is external and is caused by a failing seal on a pipe or a joint, than it might bring itself into a simple repair cost but if in case the boiler is leaking from within, then this might create a possibility of the parts corroding from inside, thus making it a much complex issue. This also might lead you way to expensive repairs or replacing the boiler permanently.
2. FIXING LIMESCALE BUILD UP- Well, talking about the systems that are less than 10 years old, an acid based cleanser can be used in order to remove the deposits in the system. For instance, an acid based cleanser can selectively dissolve the scale deposits without attacking the metals present in the central heating systems. While, the older installations can be improved by dispersing the buildup and removing the sludge deposits. Henceforth, a chemical clean will use high strength solutions to corrode the debris in your heating system.
3. STOP A BOILER OVERHEATING- In case of a faulty thermostat, you are highly recommended to consult your boiler manual for the follow up on how to reset your device. In case if the system still creates a problem, consult you technician for professional help and better results.

We have mentioned some of the sum-up examples of what can be done to fix the problem.

1. Add an all liquid inhibitor to the system
2. Fit a magnabooster
3. Replace the heat exchanger
4. Powerflush the system
5. Fit a magnetic and  electrolytic scale inhibitor