Hot-Water Boiler Repair & Replacement in Central Vermont

Many older homes around Barre, Montpelier and Northfield are heated by a hot-water boiler feeding baseboard or cast-iron radiators. Premier Heating and AC repairs, tunes up and replaces oil, propane and natural gas hot-water boilers for homes and small businesses across Central Vermont. If your boiler quits in the middle of the night, call us. Our 24/7 emergency service is open to everyone, members or not.

No heat? Call 802-522-0818.

Signs Your Boiler Needs Service

Call us if you notice any of these:

• No heat, or some zones heat while others stay cold

• Radiators or baseboard that are hot at one end and cold at the other

• Banging, gurgling or kettling sounds

• Water on the floor around the boiler, a dripping relief valve or pressure that keeps climbing

• The boiler keeps locking out and needs a reset

• A circulator pump that hums but doesn't move water

• Soot, smoke or an oil smell (if you smell gas, leave the house and call your fuel supplier or 911 first)

We troubleshoot burners, ignition, aquastats and controls, circulator pumps, zone valves, expansion tanks, pressure-reducing and relief valves, and air in the lines. We'll explain what failed and what the fix costs before we start.

Annual Boiler Tune-Ups

A boiler that's cleaned and adjusted every year uses less fuel and is far less likely to fail in January.

• Oil boilers: clean the combustion chamber and flue passages, replace the nozzle and oil filter, check pump pressure, adjust the burner and run a combustion efficiency test.

• Propane and natural gas boilers: clean the burner, check ignition, gas pressure, venting and safety controls.

• Every boiler: check system pressure and the expansion tank, test the relief valve, check the circulators and zone valves, bleed air and check for carbon monoxide.

Annual service is part of our maintenance plans, starting at $19.99 a month.

Boiler Replacement

Boilers can last a long time, but there comes a point where repairs don't add up. We'll help you decide when it's time and what to replace it with:

• New high-efficiency oil boiler. It keeps your fuel and your existing piping, with better efficiency than an older cast-iron unit.

• Propane or natural gas boiler. We install IBC boilers, including compact wall-hung condensing models that free up basement space.

• Fuel conversion, such as oil to propane, or oil to natural gas where Vermont Gas service is available

• Boiler plus heat pump. Keep the boiler for the coldest weeks and let ductless mini-splits handle most of the heating season and all of the cooling. This is one of the most popular upgrades in older Vermont homes, because it doesn't require new ductwork.

Every replacement is sized to your home's heat loss and your existing radiators or baseboard, not just to the size of the old boiler.

After a Flood: Basement Boilers

The July 2023 floods filled basements across Barre, Montpelier, Waterbury and Northfield, and boilers usually sit at the lowest point of the house. If your boiler or its controls have ever been under water, have them inspected before you fire them up again. When it's time to replace, we can talk about mounting equipment higher or adding wall-mounted heat pumps, so less of your heating sits in the basement.

Financing and Rebates

Financing is available through Wisetack, with 0% interest for the first 3 months (subject to credit approval). As an Efficiency Vermont participating contractor, we can also help you with Efficiency Vermont loan options. If you add a heat pump alongside your boiler, Efficiency Vermont and utility rebates may apply. As an Efficiency Vermont contractor, we'll help you check and handle the paperwork.

Why Premier for Boiler Service

• 24/7 emergency service for everyone, no membership required

• Locally owned in Berlin, a few minutes from Barre and Montpelier

• BBB Accredited

• Honest repair-or-replace advice

• Fully licensed and insured

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of boilers do you work on?

We work on hot-water (hydronic) boilers fired by oil, propane or natural gas. That covers the baseboard and radiator systems found in many Central Vermont and Chittenden County homes. We service all major brands, and we install IBC boilers.

How often should my boiler be serviced?

Once a year, ideally before heating season. Oil boilers especially benefit from yearly cleaning, because soot buildup wastes fuel quickly.

Why are some of my radiators cold?

The usual causes are air trapped in the lines, a stuck zone valve, a failing circulator pump or low system pressure. We can diagnose it and fix it, often in a single visit.

Can you convert my boiler from oil to propane or natural gas?

Yes. We do fuel conversions, such as oil to propane, or oil to natural gas where Vermont Gas service is available. Often that means replacing an older oil boiler with a high-efficiency IBC propane or gas boiler, and we'll tell you which option fits your home.

Can I add a heat pump to a home with a boiler?

Yes. Ductless mini-splits work well alongside a boiler. The heat pump handles most of the heating and all of the cooling, and the boiler covers the coldest nights. You don't need new ductwork.

Is it worth repairing an old oil boiler?

Sometimes. If the heat exchanger is sound and the repair is minor, a repair makes sense. If it's leaking, failing often or very inefficient, replacing it usually costs less over time. We'll give you both prices.

Boiler giving you trouble? Call 802-522-0818, 24/7, or schedule your annual boiler tune-up online.

Call 802-522-0818 · Text 802-522-0818 · Schedule Boiler Service