Boiler Repair in Ann Arbor, MI

Boilers are less common than furnaces in Southeast Michigan, but they provide reliable heat when properly maintained. When they fail, the problems are specific to hot water or steam systems — a boiler repair contractor with the right equipment and knowledge can diagnose and repair them.

Ann Arbor's heating picture is shaped by the University of Michigan: fewer than half of homes are owner-occupied and only about 42% are single-family detached, with a large share of apartments, condos and converted older houses (ACS 2024). About 71% of households heat with gas and around 26% with electricity. In rentals and multi-unit buildings, furnace repairs often go through a landlord or property manager, and Michigan's housing codes generally require landlords to keep heating systems in working order. Older homes near downtown and campus can have tight basements and long-modified ductwork, while newer condos more often have compact high-efficiency furnaces or heat pumps in closets.

Common Boiler Problems

Boiler failures we see in Washtenaw County: circulation pump failure, zone valve problems, low pressure or pressure relief valve issues, thermocouple or ignition failure, expansion tank problems, and radiator air locks. Unlike forced-air systems, boiler diagnostics require specific knowledge of hydronic heating circuits.

• No heat anywhere with the boiler firing: usually the circulator pump, an air-locked loop, or low system pressure rather than the boiler itself.
• No heat anywhere with the boiler not firing at all: points at ignition, the gas valve, a thermocouple or flame sensor, or a safety lockout that tripped for a reason worth finding.
• Some rooms hot and others cold: zone valves, a failed zone thermostat, or trapped air in specific radiators or loops. That is a distribution fault, not a boiler fault.
• Pressure dropping repeatedly and needing to be topped up: a leak somewhere in the loop, or an expansion tank that has lost its charge.
• Banging or kettling noises: commonly scale on the heat exchanger or a circulation problem, both of which get worse and more expensive the longer they run.

Boiler Maintenance in Ann Arbor

Annual boiler maintenance extends system life and prevents mid-winter failures — burner combustion, heat exchanger, expansion tank, pressure relief valve operation, zone valves, and any signs of corrosion or leaks all get checked. Scheduling in the fall before heating season is ideal.

• A repair does not fix a system that was never balanced. Radiators sized or valved wrong will heat unevenly with a brand-new boiler in place.
• It does not address heat lost from an uninsulated basement or crawlspace loop, where a meaningful share of the output can be given up before it reaches a room.
• Repeated pressure top-ups are not maintenance. Each refill introduces fresh oxygenated water that accelerates internal corrosion — the leak is the item to fix.
• On whether an old boiler is worth repairing: cast-iron boilers routinely run for decades and are often worth repairing well past the age at which a forced-air furnace would be replaced.
• A cracked or heavily scaled heat exchanger is the point at which replacement generally becomes the better spend, because it is the most expensive component in the appliance.

This content is reviewed by the Michigan Furnace Repairs editorial team and informed by licensed-contractor sourcing, manufacturer documentation, and established industry standards for furnace repair. Read our editorial standards.