Often referred to as the ‘heart of the heating system’, keeping a circulation pump in top condition is a must. Sometimes known as circulator pumps or circulating pumps, these products move hot water through the building’s pipework, ensuring there is enough flow going to radiators and underfloor heating systems. If these pumps are not working efficiently or seize up, the whole heating system could break down as a result, so it’s imperative that they are checked routinely, ideally as part of annual boiler services.

Though regular maintenance checks and servicing are key, many installers may be unsure of how to carry out the correct checks on newer models. Thanks to advancements in technology, there are now plenty of smart central heating circulation pumps, such as the Stratos PICO, on the market which offer energy saving benefits to consumers and make troubleshooting pumps easier than ever. In this blog, we’ll look at the smart features that can help when servicing a central heating circulation pump.

Why should you check a circulation pump?

It has been proven that over 50% of all emergency and service calls could be avoided by regular inspections. By making sure that pumps are working at their most effective and energy efficient levels, you are much more likely to save homeowners from having to make unnecessary emergency callouts.

We encourage installers to perform servicing and checks alongside a boiler’s annual service to steer clear of unwanted disruption over the winter months as heating systems are fired up across the country.

Signs that a circulation pump could be faulty

High-efficiency, variable speed circulation pumps typically require less maintenance than their fixed speed predecessors. However, we still advise that regular inspections of circulation pumps are carried out to check their operating status. Common signs that a circulator pump is not working as it should include:

1. Louder than usual or strange noises coming from the pump

2. Excessive vibration from the pump

3. Increased power consumption

With older pumps, any errors or problems would have only been discoverable by an installer on inspection or by a homeowner when it is too late. Thanks to innovative and self-help technology, this is now a thing of the past.

Our ‘fault signal assistant’ tool plays a major role in detecting system problems early on, as it holds fundamental information on possible error signals that may be shown on the display of certain Wilo products like the Stratos PICO. For some signals, the tool can specify the cause of the problem, describe the issue and offer possible solutions.

A simple step-by-step to servicing circulation pumps

When the task of servicing a central heating circulation pump arises, it’s essential to first carry out electrical and mechanical isolation. Once the error has been detected using our Wilo-Assistant app or the pump’s LED or LCD display, which depends on the model, installers should shut off the power to the pump, then hydraulic isolation and system drain down can begin – depending on the identified fault.

Alternatively, if the pump is running dry, you should check the pressure gauge and vent the pump if pressure is found. The Stratos PICO automatically detects when there’s no water flowing, if this is the case it will send out a warning. If it begins to overheat, it will then shutdown and send out an error code, it is then in the hands of the installer to determine why there’s no water going through the pump. Similarly, if the pump detects a blockage, its impeller will attempt to clear any debris – if successful it will automatically restart.

Once the automatic venting option is selected Stratos PICO menu, the pump has the ability to self-vent. While this will save an installer from manually bleeding the pump, we encourage them to select the manual venting option to initiative a venting cycle to detect any further issues when performing a maintenance visit.

Working smarter with smart pumps

While there are many more defects that could be detected on a heating circulation pump, installers should first turn to the ‘smart’ technology on offer. Doing so will avoid the need to physically, and painstakingly, troubleshoot the pump, plus it means no more guesswork. The Stratos PICO provides error codes, alongside a description of what the code entails, plus our website offers helpful tutorials and videos of top maintenance tips to make the task a simple one. For further guidance, check out our troubleshooting videos.

For those who may be faced with servicing or replacing old, fixed speed pumps, we recommend that they encourage home and building owners to make the switch to smart, variable speed pumps like the Stratos PICO. Not only will this help save energy long term, but it will also help with future pump servicing requirements.

CLICK HERE to find out more about servicing the Stratos PICO.