How To Fix A Leaking Hot Water Circulator Flange For Homeowners
How To Fix A Leaking Hot Water Circulator Flange For Homeowners will walk the average homeowner through the process of repairing a leaking circulator flange.
Circulator pumps are installed in hydronic (hot water) heating systems. They pump heated water from a boiler through a piping system and radiation which in turn uses the convection process to heat our homes.
This radiation can be baseboard or radiators or even radiant floor heating. The circulator pump performs the same duty in all hot water heating systems, it moves water. When there is a call for heat from any thermostat the boiler heats the water and the circulator for that zone comes on and moves the water. It's that simple.
When we discover a leak on a circulator flange it is usually a very small leak that will over time turn the cast iron flange a nasty green color and corrode up the fitting. There will be evidence of this around the specific adapter thats leaking or in the split between the two flange halves. Which of the two is leaking is very important because the repair is quite different.
Either type of leak will require the circulator pump to be isolated from the system. This is done by shutting off the two closest ball valves below and above the pump. If valves are not available to isolate the pump then a vacuum can be pulled by first shutting off the power to the system, then shutting off the water feed to the system and then relieve the pressure out of any drain valve.
All auto vent caps will need to be closed as well. Then after water stops coming out of the drain you know there is a vacuum on the system and the drain valve then should be closed. We now have a sealed system under vacuum so when we take out the pump we should get very little water release if any.
The next step is to use two open end wrench's of the proper size to remove the four bolts from both flanges, two each. Once these bolts are out you can use a screwdriver to pop the pump loose. This is where a little water may be released so watch for anything that can be damaged and take precautions. Once the pump has been removed there will be a wire hanging from it so set the pump wherever it will reach out of your way.
Now the difference becomes relevant to the type of repair we are performing. If a fitting is leaking where it winds into the flange, the flange must be unwound from the threaded adapter. Teflon tape should be wound onto the threads and a good pipe sealing compound like rector seal or mega lock should be used in addition to the teflon tape. These sealing implements are available at any plumbing supply house as well as major home improvement outlets.
Once the threads have been prepared then we can rewind the flange back onto the adapter and tighten, ending in the original position. Check both flanges for leaks and repair both while your at it.
If you have a gasket leak and the evidence is between the two flange half then you may only have to tighten the bolts. Sometimes the pump vibration will loosen the flange bolts and cause a small leak. Check to see if the bolts are properly tightened and tighten if needed then dry the joints and check for leaks it could be that easy.
If you must change the gaskets we only need clean the old gaskets from both flange sets and replace the gasket with new ones. Then in either repair it is time to re bolt the pump back in noting the arrow depicting direction of flow.
Once the pump is installed the valves can be reopened and the water from the feeder turned back on. After the system re pressurizes, the power can be turned back on. Your system will come back on and after drying any water from the repair you can check for leaks.
How To Fix A Leaking Hot Water Circulator Flange For Homeowners, hopefully has helped you to understand what is necessary to perform this repair. When a serviceman is called to perform this repair it can cost several hundred dollars. Doing it yourself cost maybe ten for parts.
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