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This is an extremely busy time for my company and we are taking lots of calls from first time homeowners who haven’t a clue about their heating systems.
Please consider this before calling for service, it may save both of us some time and money:
You have a steam system if there is a tube of water connected to the side or front of the boiler. You may also notice that your radiators sometimes make a hissing noise.
That tube of water should be about two-thirds full when the boiler is off and just warm to the touch. If it isn’t, add water slowly using the manual (non-electric, hand operated) valve while watching the water rise in the tube. DO NOT leave the valve on.
The boiler fills the radiators with steam when the flame is on. You can not bleed the radiators in this system. They bleed themselves.
Your boiler may also have a pressure gauge that almost always reads zero. This is normal in a steam heating system. Don’t let it drive you crazy.
If the room doesn’t warm up but the radiators are hot to the touch- the boiler is working. You do not have an emergency. It is simply too much for your system to maintain a high indoor temperature below a certain outdoor temperature. Don’t panic. There’s a solution to every problem.
You have a hot water, or hydronic, heating system if you have a pump and/or gauge that reads pressure and temperature all in one.
Yours is a very adaptable system. If you feel like the system isn’t working, go to the boiler and listen. The pump will run if the thermostat is calling for heat, even if the boiler isn’t operable.
If the pump isn’t running, check the one or two on/off switches for the boiler (one at the top of the cellar stairs?) and the fuse or circuit breaker.
If they’re all on, check your thermostat for low settings, dead batteries and programming.
Many new boilers have safety shut off devices that activate in the presence of a failing chimney. In many cases, these work LONG before your carbon monoxide alarm gets the chance.
If you suspect this may be the problem, call a professional.

John Cataneo LMP
A.k.a. Master Plvmber
www.GatewayPlumbing.com