Boiler Making a Kettling Noise
A rumbling or boiling-kettle sound from the boiler, usually worse as it reaches temperature..
A rumbling or boiling-kettle sound from the boiler, usually worse as it reaches temperature.
What is actually going on
A rumbling or boiling-kettle sound from the boiler, usually worse as it reaches temperature.
The realistic causes, in order
Scale on the primary heat exchanger causing localised boiling, common in hard-water areas Reduced flow through the exchanger from sludge or a slow pump A flow temperature set unnecessarily high, pushing the exchanger towards boiling point
What we test on site
Flow and return differential under a controlled load Water quality including hardness and iron content Pump speed and any bypass arrangement
Safe checks to make with kettling in the boiler
- Note whether the noise appears within a minute or only after long running
- Check whether the flow temperature has been set to maximum
- Kettling stresses the heat exchanger. Left long enough it becomes a heat exchanger replacement rather than a clean.
Who does the work
- Gas Safe registered engineers — registration 554328
- Worcester Bosch accredited installer
- John The Plumb Ltd, company registration 10026483
Get kettling in the boiler diagnosed properly
Descaling or flushing plus a corrected flow temperature normally silences it and improves efficiency.
Questions we get asked
What causes kettling in the boiler on a gas boiler?
Scale on the primary heat exchanger causing localised boiling, common in hard-water areas
What normally puts kettling in the boiler right?
Descaling or flushing plus a corrected flow temperature normally silences it and improves efficiency.
Should I switch anything off because of kettling in the boiler?
Kettling stresses the heat exchanger. Left long enough it becomes a heat exchanger replacement rather than a clean.