Lakeville · Boilers
Cold radiators, a leaking boiler, or one that took on water in a Lakeville flood? Learn what to check and get connected with an independent local heating contractor.
Lakeville, Massachusetts
The storm of March 29, 2010, showed why Lakeville boiler owners should know their basement's flood history. Between 3 and 8 inches of rain fell across Plymouth County, several Lakeville ponds overflowed, and at least 35 families were evacuated, according to the town's 2022 Hazard Mitigation Plan. A boiler that sat in standing water needs a professional inspection before it runs again, because controls, burners, and gas valves can be damaged out of sight.
Most Lakeville boilers will never see floodwater, though. More typical calls involve cold radiators, a dripping relief valve, or a boiler near the end of a long life. Census estimates count 1,061 Lakeville housing units built before 1960, including 319 from 1939 or earlier, when hot water and steam heat were the norm.
Call or send a request to reach an independent heating contractor who serves Lakeville. South Shore HVAC Finder is a referral service only; the contractor you choose quotes and does the work.
Air trapped in a hot water loop, or a failing zone valve or circulator, can leave rooms cold while the boiler fires.
A puddle can come from the relief valve, a fitting, or a cracked section. Note where it starts and how fast it spreads.
On a hot water system, a gauge that climbs high when hot or sinks near zero points to an expansion tank or fill valve problem.
Steam systems knock when water pools in the pipes, and hot water systems gurgle with trapped air.
Any boiler that stood in water should stay off until a technician has inspected it.
Local knowledge
Flood history and well water chemistry shape boiler work in Lakeville.
Flood-Prone Roads
Cross Street, Pickens Street, Taunton Street at Poquoy Brook, Route 18, Main Street at Bates Brook, and Pierce Avenue are among the places the 2022 plan names. If your house is near one and the boiler sits on the basement floor, ask about raising it or protecting the burner and controls.
Repeat Flood Losses
As of 2021 the town counted three repetitive loss structures, all single-family homes in the Special Flood Hazard Area, with the latest loss in 2018. FEMA's updated flood maps took effect July 6, 2021, so check your zone before placing a new boiler.
Well Water Chemistry
At a Title 5 inspection, Lakeville requires the on-site well test to cover hardness, iron, pH, chloride, and more, with results valid for two years. Hard or iron-rich water can scale a boiler's tankless coil or an indirect water heater, so share recent results with the contractor.
Source: Lakeville Board of Health
Right now
Safety comes before any check on the equipment.
Get everyone out and call 911 or your gas company from outside the house. Let the responders tell you when it's safe to return.
If water reached the boiler, don't switch it on or reset it, even after the basement dries. Stay out of standing water near any electrical equipment.
For a steady leak, turn the boiler off at its service switch and let it cool. Set a pan under a dripping relief valve, and never plug or cap it.
Write down the pressure and temperature readings and any error codes, and snap a photo for the technician.
What to expect
A technician will usually check pressure, the expansion tank, circulators, zone valves, the relief valve, and the burner, and test combustion and the flue. On a steam boiler they look at the water level, the sight glass, and the low-water cutoff.
After a flood, expect a closer look at controls and the burner, and possibly a recommendation to replace parts or the whole boiler. If replacement is the plan, Lakeville's Building Department handles mechanical and gas permits through Viewpoint, and the Fire Department takes oil burner permit applications online.
Boilers in older Lakeville houses may sit in tight cellars with low ceilings, which affects how a new unit gets in and where its venting can run. Ask the contractor to walk the path from the door to the boiler during the first visit.
Hire smart
Massachusetts has no single HVAC license. Gas work needs a gas fitter license, oil burner work a Department of Fire Services certificate, ductwork a sheet metal license, and larger refrigeration systems a refrigeration technician license. Most heating and cooling installs need a town permit.
Gas boilers need a gas fitter, and oil boilers a technician holding a Department of Fire Services oil burner certificate. Check both on the state and DFS lookups.
If your house has steam heat, ask how many steam systems they service, because steam piping follows its own rules.
For homes near the flood-prone roads in the town's plan, ask about mounting the boiler higher or on a platform.
Ask for written estimates for repair and for replacement, with permits and removal of the old boiler listed.
Costs
A circulator, zone valve, or expansion tank is a smaller job than a cracked section or a flood-damaged burner. Older boilers may need parts that are hard to find, which adds time and sometimes a second visit.
Replacement cost depends on fuel, venting, whether the house has steam or hot water, and whether you add an indirect water heater. Ask each contractor for a written estimate and which utility rebate they assumed, since Eversource and MGED customers use different programs. In a flood zone, ask your insurance agent how a flood policy treats boiler damage.
More help in Lakeville
Every page below is written for Lakeville homes. Or start from the Lakeville hvac guide.
Questions
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Not until a heating technician has inspected it. Water can damage controls, the burner, and gas or oil valves in ways you can't see, and restarting can be a fire or CO hazard. Keep it off, stay out of standing water near electrical equipment, and call for an inspection.
A stuck zone valve, a failed circulator, or air in that loop are common causes. Check that the zone's thermostat is calling for heat, then let a technician bleed and test the loop.
It can. Hard or iron-rich water scales tankless coils and indirect water heaters over time. The town's Title 5 well test covers hardness, iron, and pH, so share recent results with your contractor.
The Building Department handles mechanical and gas permits online through Viewpoint, and the Fire Department issues oil burner permits. Removing an old oil tank also needs the Fire Department's standard permit. Your contractor usually files them.
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