Boiler Circulating Pump Hot To Touch? (Possible Causes & Fixes)

Just about every house has a boiler in the basement. The average homeowner doesn’t know how exactly one of these machines works. If you’re experiencing issues with the boiler in your home and you don’t know what to do, you’re in the right place.

If your boiler’s circulating pump is hot to the touch, this could be due to a blocked rotor from worn-out bearings, or possibly a buildup of dirt. However, it’s important to note that while it’s common for the pump to get warm, or even hot, it should never become dangerously hot.

Below we’ll discuss circulator pumps, switches, controls, and heating system issues in general. As always, apply safety methods to prevent unnecessary accidents from occurring. Hopefully, you’ll find a solution to any issues you’re facing, including a pump that’s too hot to touch.

Like you read earlier, some buildings use more than one circulator pump. Places like offices, hotels, and apartment buildings have one circulator pump for each heating zone. This can make it more difficult to pinpoint which circulator pump is causing an issue.

The easiest thing you can do is go to each pump and do the “feel test.” You can also look for excessive amounts of rust as well. A lot of rust can lead to leaks, which results in things not working properly.

Another thing you can do is simply listen to the pump to see if it’s running. Most circulators are audible, giving off an electrical motor-like noise. If you have a Taco circulator pump, it can be hard to rely on sound because they’re so quiet.

Something to consider is how noisy the heating zone circulator pump is. If it’s gotten much louder than when initially installed, there could be a bigger issue at hand. This is usually something like a failing motor bearing, a pump impeller, or a pump assembly bearing.

The most common way to see if the circulator pump is having issues is to touch it. It doesn’t matter which side you feel; it should be warm or slightly hot when running. Some folks report getting a better reading on the pipes that are running OUT of the boiler more than the return side.

If the pipes are cold or scalding hot, it’s time to look at things like clogs. Plugging can be easily fixed and is one of the cheaper issues to deal with. Some people may benefit from looking at a comparison of water heaters vs. boilers.

The price you can pay to replace a boiler circulator pump can vary quite a bit. Things like your location, the boiler you have, and the pump’s size can affect the pricing. You’ll also need to consider whether or not you’d like to hire a professional for installation.

If you plan on doing it yourself, you’ll likely just pay the price of the replacement part. If you hire a professional, you can expect to pay between $400 and $750, including parts and labor. Here are some of the average prices for boiler circulator pumps online.

The easiest way of checking to see if the circulating pump is bad is by feeling it. If it’s running properly, it will either be warm or hot. If it’s on the colder side or too hot to touch, that could be a sign that there’s an issue at hand.

While it can change depending on the boiler you’re working with; circulator pumps are generally in the same place. You can find them on the return or inlet side of the heating boiler.

In certain situations, you can get decent results without a pump. There is a hot water loop called “passive recirculation” that some seasoned plumbers suggest. This provides a return piping run to the hot-water tank, allowing natural circulation to occur.