Heating

Narrow Way Plumbing and Heating have seen its fair share of harsh winters. Delivering dependable service to houses during the winter is our top priority even during the heaviest snow fall we have gone out to get the heat working for our customers. Boston is situated uniquely in New England where a diverse array of heating systems provides homes with reliable heat. Having a team, you can trust who can solve a wide variety of heating equipment is important.

No Heat

We specialize in any and all no heat calls. Losing heat in the winter can be one of the most difficult, painful, and expensive problem a home owner faces. That’s why when your boiler or furnace shuts down you should know who to call. We repair boilers every day throughout the winter and will find a quick cost-effective way to get your heating system back up and running as soon as possible. Protective maintenance is highly encouraged to avoid no heat calls in the first place. When a heating system shuts down the building is exposed to freezing and if the heating issue is not addressed quickly it could lead to far more expensive and involved repairs. We are quite familiar with this dynamic, and work hard to avoid it.

Don’t Retrete
Fix Your Heat

Want to learn about your heating system, determine what kind of system you have or how to eliminate simple problems? Try the DIY heating section.

Heating Maintenance

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” – Benjamin Franklin

At Narrow Way Plumbing and Heating we provide maintenance on all heating equipment from steam boilers, forced hot water, forced hot air, high efficiency, and beyond. Our service consists of cleaning, inspection, and testing curated to your specific heating unit and system design. We want to ensure that you do not go cold when the winter hits.

High Efficiency Systems: We offer deep clean maintenance on boilers as they are needed (once every 4-5 years). This service includes opening up the heat exchanger and brushing out the debris from combustion and flushing with a cleaning solution. Additionally, we can provide a combustion analysis of your boiler and adjust it to provide maximum efficiency and correct operation.

HIGH EFFIENCY HEAT EXCHANGER

CONVENTIONAL CAST IRON HEAT EXCHANGER

High Efficiency Gas Equipment

There are high efficiency units for both potable water like instant hot water heaters and high efficiency heating systems. NWP&H highly encourages looking into a high efficiency system and are more then glad to help you through the steps in this process. These units reduce carbon emissions by maximizing the usage of energy to heat your house. Contact us if you have any questions or would just like some more information.

Gas piping repairs & replacements

We install and replace gas appliances; stoves, ranges, dryers as well as space heaters, gas logs, decorative stoves, along with other heating and hot water equipment.

Gas leaks are the most dangerous leaks to have, and should never be overlooked. Call us as soon as you smell or hear gas leaking. Always contact 911 in case of an emergency or call your service provider National Grid 1-800-233-5325. They will shut your system down and we can come out and resolve your issue to restore service. Contact us today if you have concerns or questions about your gas piping.

Boilers

Boilers are the heart of a home’s heating system, supplying warmth to the far corners of your house. The word encompasses a vast array of options, from classic oil or gas-powered steam boilers to modern high efficiency gas boilers. These systems are fundamental to protecting Boston homes against the coldest winters. We work on both residential and commercial boilers and can provide expert insight into any heating system.

Steam: These boilers operate by maintaining a reservoir of water that is boiled by a fuel source, once the water reaches 212F it turns into steam and travels up the supply piping and condensates inside of the radiators to supply heat to individual rooms. The condensation then travels back to the boiler where it refills the cast iron sections inside the boiler. This is a closed loop. Air valves on the main distribution piping and on the radiators help balance the steam flow so that you can heat your rooms evenly. There are characteristic noises associated with steam systems. Some customers have said it give them a comforting feeling because they know their radiators are about to get hot. However, they should not be overly loud. Visit our DYI heating section for more information.

Forced Hot Water: These systems operate by containing a pressurized system of water separate for the domestic water (drinking and hot water). The boiler heats the water up to typically 180F and uses pumps to distribute the water to the different rooms in the home. These systems can provide versatility by having multiple zones.

HVAC and Hot Air Furnaces

Here at NWP&H we like to narrow our focus on heating. We often repair and replace forced hot air and central air heating equipment and respond to no heat calls on these units. We do not currently provide refrigeration services or AC repairs. However, we have and do work on old and new hot and furnaces with trouble shooting, repairs, and replacements. If you have a hot air system and want maintenance or need repairs done give us a call a schedule one of our technicians to assist.

Boiler Replacement

Have you ever been told you need a new boiler? We believe at Narrow Way it is always best to get a second opinion. Often times “boiler replacements” are actually some parts that need to be replaced. The question is not straight forward unless your heat exchanger is leaking (even then maybe you can get a few more years). When considering a boiler replacement, it is often important to ask several questions about your system and your own comfort level. Narrow Way will work with you to help determine if it is the right time to replace your boiler and will provide you a FREE ESTIMATE in case you decide it is time.

Radiators

Radiators are a classic symbol of heating in New England. They are compatible with both steam and hot water systems, these staples provide durable heat through natural convection, sustained warmth, and a classic design. Radiators come in all shapes and sizes and can be either floor mounted or wall mounted. We provide refurbished radiator replacements, new installations, and repairs. Contact us today if you have radiator questions or issues.

Thermostats

Having no heat issues? Check your thermostat batteries first. Thermostats control your heating system. While there are many options for thermostats today it is important to ensure proper programming and installation of your thermostat. Our technicians are prepared to install the proper thermostat for your heating system.

Considering a nest or other smart thermostat? Give us a call at 617-436-5229. These thermostats need a constant power supply and if not properly installed or compatible with your system it could damage and cause malfunctioning on your boiler’s circuit board. The convince of a smart thermostat is great, but improper installation can be costly.

Oil to Gas Conversion

We much prefer gas than oil heating systems but we do service oil boilers if you are without heat. We encourage all of our customers who have an oil system to seriously look into getting a more economical, cost effective, and environmentally friendly natural gas system or other type of heating system. If you do have an oil boiler read through the high efficiency section and our boilers section. Oil is no longer an economical fuel compared with the high efficiency gas boilers and is increasingly disappearing in Boston. If you have an oil system, give us a call.

Heating DIY

Steps to identify your heating system:

1. Determine fuel

Oil: Oil is good for some applications if gas is not available to the building. We would suggest replacing unit with a high efficiency gas unit, but we will always service an oil unit and respond to any no heat calls.
Propane: Used in rural applications.
Natural Gas: This is the most common and preferred way to heat a house in an urban setting. Many oil heating systems have been switched to natural gas. It is very clean and allows for low-maintenance, high- efficiency heating systems.
Electric: This system simply uses electricity as opposed to fuel.

2. Delivery system (how does the heat get distributed throughout the house)

Radiators
Fin-tube Baseboard Element
Blowing Air
Concealed Piping

Type

Steam Boiler
Hot Water Boiler
Hot Air Furnace

Avoid Unnecessary No Heat Calls: Try the following steps before calling for service:

Check thermostat batteries
Make sure thermostat switch (if present) is set to “heat on”
Emergency switches at boiler and sometimes at top of basement stairs or hallway are in ‘on’ position
Look for evidence that power to boiler is on, check fuses and circuit breakers
Check fuel source
Check water level on steam boiler
Change air filter on hot air furnace

Steam Systems:

Hissing is a normal thing you may hear in your steam heating system; it’s a sign your system is breathing. There is a little ‘space ship’ sticking out from the side of the radiator about half way up. However, because these systems work off of such high temperatures, water leaks can go unrecognized due to evaporation.
Check the water level in the gauge glass protruding from the side of your boiler. If the water level is low, add some water to the boiler very slowly to bring the water level to a little higher then half way up the glass. If you need to add water more than once a month you may have a leak. Give us a call to help locate and repair this leak if you find yourself adding water on a weekly basis.

FYI: Banging or tinging sound in the pipes? That is the sound of super-hot steam hitting the cooler condensation returning back to the boiler. This often means your heating lines are not pitched correctly or are partially clogged.