It is 5 a.m., the radiators are cold and the house is losing heat. Boiler repair in Elmwood Park is an emergency in winter, and our 24/7 line is open. While you wait, check that the thermostat is calling for heat, look for water on the floor, and keep the area around the boiler clear. Gas odor near the boiler means get out and phone the utility or 911 before anything else.
A boiler heats water, or makes steam, and sends it through pipes to radiators or baseboard. We repair the plumbing side of that system: leaks, pressure, pumps, valves, air and expansion. Problems with the burner, flue or gas valve are different, and we are direct about where our work stops.
Safety before repairs
Carbon monoxide comes from combustion. Keep working CO alarms near sleeping areas and outside the boiler room. If an alarm sounds, leave and call 911. A gas smell means everyone leaves, and the utility or 911 is the first call. Never relight a boiler that smells of gas or smoke.
Steam or hot water: the first thing to know about your system
Steam boilers
- Water boils into steam, which rises to radiators
- Pipes pitch back toward the boiler so condensate returns
- A sight glass shows the water level
- Banging pipes often mean trapped water
Hot water (hydronic) boilers
- Heated water is pushed through pipes by a circulator pump
- A pressure gauge and expansion tank manage the water
- Radiators or baseboard may need bleeding of air
- Cold spots often mean air or a stuck valve
Check the label or ask us. The repair path is different for each type, and it shapes the questions we ask on the phone. Our service area covers Elmwood Park and nearby towns.
What we fixNo heat from the radiators: the water-side causes we can solve
Several common problems sit squarely in the plumbing and do not involve the burner.
Low or swinging pressure
A leaking relief valve, failed fill valve or waterlogged expansion tank often shows on the gauge.
Cold radiators
Air in the lines or a stuck zone valve keeps hot water from reaching them.
Circulator pump noise or stalling
A worn pump or seized motor stops water from moving even when the boiler is hot.
Puddle at the boiler
A weeping fitting, valve packing or pipe joint. We trace the source before repairs.
Low-water cutoff trips
A fouled or failed cutoff shuts the boiler down. We test and replace it where it sits in the water-side controls.
House getting cold?
Call the 24/7 line and a plumber will help sort out whether the problem is ours to fix.
Five checks to make before the plumber arrives
These are safe for most homes and give us a better starting point.
Quick homeowner checks
- Thermostat. Raise it a few degrees and confirm it is set to heat with fresh batteries if it needs them.
- Power switch. Many boilers have a switch near the unit or on the stairs. Make sure nobody turned it off.
- Pressure gauge. Note the number. Do not open valves to change it.
- Water on the floor. Look for drips and tell us where you see them.
- Error light or code. Write down what the display shows.
Who fixes what: plumber, heating contractor or gas utility
| Problem | Who it usually belongs to | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Leak, pressure, valves, pump, air, expansion tank | A licensed plumber (us) | Call the 24/7 line |
| Burner will not ignite, flame looks wrong, soot | A licensed heating contractor | We can still shut off water-side issues and advise |
| Flue or vent problems, carbon monoxide alarm | A heating contractor, with 911 for an active alarm | Leave the building if an alarm sounds |
| Gas smell or gas valve concern | The gas utility, with 911 for an active smell | Get everyone out and call the utility or 911 |
| Full boiler replacement or HVAC work | A heating contractor | We do not take on this work |
Older Elmwood Park homes and the boilers they were built around
With many homes built before 1970, and about 29 percent before 1940, steam and hot water boilers still serve some Elmwood Park houses and apartment buildings. Original iron and galvanized piping tend to carry sediment that clogs valves and wears pumps.
Two-flats and larger buildings are common here, and a shared boiler can mean several households are cold at once. Tell us the building layout when you call, and mention any water that has spread, since a leak detection visit can trace a hidden source. Nicor Gas serves most addresses, so check your bill for your utility.
When the cold is the emergency
Chicago saw minus 23 F at O'Hare on January 30, 2019, and the county plan notes frozen pipes in extreme cold. A boiler that stops in that weather puts every pipe in the house at risk, so call early and keep taps open slightly on exterior walls.
We answer after-hours calls on the same line as every other emergency. Same-day appointments are available when the schedule allows, and we give the price before work starts.
What affects the cost of a boiler repair
We cannot price a boiler over the phone. Access, system type, the failed part, whether the system must be drained and refilled, and whether other trades must be involved all change the work.
If the issue turns out to be burner-related, we tell you before you pay for anything we cannot fix. For a water-side fault that affects hot water elsewhere, see water heater repair.
Boiler questions from Elmwood Park households
Yes, for the water side of the system. Our licensed plumbers answer the 24/7 line, and same-day appointments are offered when possible. We do not promise arrival times, and we tell you honestly if the fault needs a heating contractor or the gas utility.
No. We repair plumbing-side issues such as leaks, pressure, pumps, valves, air and expansion tanks. Full boiler replacement and heating system work belong to a heating contractor.
Get out, then phone the utility or 911 from outside. Do not use switches or phones inside. Never try to relight the boiler.
Leave the building and call 911. Do not go back inside until emergency responders say it is safe. Have the heating system inspected before it is used again.
High pressure often points to a failed expansion tank or a fill valve stuck open. Low pressure means a leak or a valve that has dumped water. Either one needs a look before it gets worse.
Air in the lines or a stuck zone valve is the common plumbing cause. Steam systems have their own issues with vents and traps.
We handle the water-side pieces such as leaks, valves and low-water cutoffs. Steam systems are sensitive, so we describe what we can do on the call.
Yes. We tell you the price once we know what is wrong, and you decide before we begin.
Standards and sources: Work in Illinois follows the Illinois Plumbing Code (77 Ill. Adm. Code 890), and the Village of Elmwood Park building department applies those minimum standards locally. Gas smell guidance comes from Nicor Gas: leave the building, then call the gas utility and 911 from outside.