Utica Boiler Troubleshooting [7 Easy Solutions]

You have a Utica Natural Gas Boiler that is about 5-10 years old. Since then, it keeps you warm and toasty in the ice-cold days of winter. It seems you are under your blanket when you turn on your Utica Boiler. 

But last morning when you woke up, you felt like you were in a room of snow while your Utica Boiler was running. So, you go to your Boiler and notice it doesn’t give you enough heat to boil the frigid conditions. 

For that, your Utica Boiler may go through several problems over time- the burner is noisy or the safety valve leaks. And this guide on Utica Boiler Troubleshooting will help you to solve these boiler issues. 

Utica Boiler Troubleshooting [7 Easy Problem Solutions]

From this article, you will learn about common issues that you may experience with your Utica Boiler. Also, you will learn how to overcome those boiler problems. 

1. Not Giving Enough Heat Or System Not Heating

When you turn on your boiler, it provides you with not enough heat to warm your room. Several reasons are responsible for not offering enough or no heat. They are:

• You don’t set the thermostat properly
• The thermostat gets defective
• No power to your boiler
• Radiators not heating
• The chimney flue gets clogged
• Poor electric contact
• You don’t operate the burner properly
• Vent damper not operating

Because of those issues, your boiler doesn’t give sufficient heat. 

Solution:

First off, make sure you set the thermostat above the room temperature. If you don’t know how to reset the thermostat, follow the below steps.

• Set your thermostat to the lowest setting
• Shut down all electric power to the appliance
• Ensure the pilot light is on
• Pull out the front panel
• Turn the gas control knob clockwise. Now, wait for five minutes to clear out any gas. Then, turn the gas control knob counter-clockwise to turn on the gas supply.
• Replace the front panel.
• Now, turn on all-electric power to your appliance.
• Lastly, set the thermostat to your desired temperature level. If you fail to turn on the Utica Boiler, turn off the gas supply. Then, call Utica Boiler tech support for help. 

Secondly, inspect your thermostat and change the batteries. If needed, reach out to customer service to solve the issue for you. 

If there is no power to your boiler, ensure the electric supply circuit is on. On the other hand, check the steam air vents for proper operation if the radiators are not heating. 

In case of a clogged chimney flue, we recommend you hire a certified technician to clear out the blockage from the chimney flue. 

To fix poor electrical contact, hire a professional to check all control terminals and wire joints. Also, call Utica customer service if the burner or vent damper doesn’t function properly. 

2. Boiler Temperature Is too High

A common reason behind the Utica boiler temperature too high is the taps or central heating system doesn’t circulate successfully when hot water needs to be sent to the cylinder.

Also, a defective pump or blockage with limescale in the system, or a faulty thermistor could be responsible for this issue.

Solution:

Try to trace out the reasons behind the problem and fix them by following the given solution guide below-

• If the blockage is small, bleeding is enough for your radiators
• When the reason is a build-up of limescale in the system, a chemical flush is needed by your central heating system to make it blockage free.
• If your pump is defective, repair or replace it with the help of a tech
• To solve the faulty thermistor issue, take help from a professional

3. Burner Is Noisy

Your Utica Boiler may make a whistle or a popping sound for multiple reasons. For example, if the gas input is not correct, your Utica will make a noise.

Therefore, the burner will also make a loud noise if there is gunk buildup in the bottom of your boiler. 

Solution:

Make sure the gas input is correct. Also, you should have good gas pressure. To clean the gunk buildup from the bottom of your burner, flush away your boiler. 

4. Walls or Windows Sweating

Not enough ventilation is the culprit that makes the walls or windows near the boiler sweaty. If the chimney flue of your boiler gets clogged by dirt or debris, the walls near the boiler will sweat. 

Solution:

Ensure you install the boiler, maintaining the proper clearance. Make sure there is at least a 7″ gap between the wall and the control side of your boiler.

We recommend you hire a professional to ensure proper ventilation.  The technician will also help you to clean out the clog from the chimney flue. 

5. Safety Valve Leaking

A safety valve, also known as a boiler pressure valve, is one of the most crucial components. But dirt and limescale buildup can increase the pressure inside the boiler tank. Consequently, it may leak the safety valve, causing the boiler to malfunction. 

Solution:

If the safety valve gets defective, we recommend you replace it with a new one. It would be better to call a technician to change the safety valve for you. 

2 More Common Utica Boiler Problems & Solutions

Apart from the issues we mentioned, you may also face these problems with your Utica Boiler.

Problem 1: Power Light Won’t Turn On

The power light won’t turn on if any of the boiler power switches are in the off position. So, check all the boiler power switches and turn them to the on position. 

If the power switches are in the on position, maybe you don’t turn on the main circuit breaker. So, reset the circuit breaker to fix the issue. On the other hand,  if the circuit breaker is in the on position but the power light is not lit, call a professional for help. 

Problem 2: Utica Boiler Error Codes

Every boiler or heater will display error codes like E01 or E00 when any components get defective. Below, we provide a list of error codes your Utica Boiler will display if something gets faulty. 

Utica Boiler Maintenance Tips

Maintaining your Utica Boiler will help to operate the boiler smoothly for years to come. Below, we cater the maintenance step into different categories. So, continue to read. 

1. Continuous Maintenance

• Make sure you keep the boiler area free from flammable or combustible materials. 
• Keep combustion air and vent terminations free from the trash.

2. Monthly Maintenance

• Check combustion air, vent, and condensate drain piping for leaks or sagging.
• Inspect the condensate drain trap inside your boiler.
• Check whether the system piping is in good condition or not.
• Inspect air vents for leaks

3. Annually Maintenance

• Hire a professional to inspect the entire boiler. The professional will check all flue product carrying areas, vent system, burner, and heat exchanger. 

FAQ

Why is my boiler not kicking in?

Several reasons cause your boiler to not function properly. For example, a faulty pilot light, defective gas supply, and too low or too high boiler pressure are some culprits that prevent your boiler from turning on.

Where is the reset button on my boiler?

The reset button of your boiler is located on the boiler burner unit. Generally, you need to remove the front panel cover to access the reset button. 

Do I need to press the reset button on my boiler?

Yes, you need to press the reset button on your boiler and you should hold it down for a few seconds until the boiler ignites.

Conclusion

Boilers not giving any heat or boilers that are noisy are some issues you may encounter. To fix any issues or detect what’s the problem with your boiler, bookmark this guide. 

If the troubleshooting steps we have explored fail to solve the boiler issues, don’t hesitate to reach out to a certified agency or HVAC expert. 

Read Also: 9 Common New Yorker boiler problems solutions guide