An annual NTI boiler service checks combustion, venting, and controls, with particular attention to the plate heat exchanger and flow sensor on combi models.
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An annual NTI boiler service checks combustion performance and gas pressure, inspects the primary heat exchanger for scale or corrosion, tests the circulator pump and system pressure, reviews sidewall venting and condensate drainage on condensing models, and confirms control settings match the home's actual demand. Because NTI is widely known for combi boilers that provide both space heating and domestic hot water from a single unit, service visits on these models also check the secondary plate heat exchanger and domestic hot water flow sensor, which don't apply to a boiler serving space heat alone.
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An NTI combi boiler uses a secondary plate heat exchanger to produce domestic hot water on demand, separate from the primary heat exchanger that serves the space heating loop. This secondary exchanger can accumulate scale over time, particularly if the home's makeup water has any mineral content, and reduced hot water flow rate or temperature at the tap is often the first sign it needs attention.
Homes in parts of the Fraser Valley on well water tend to see this scale buildup somewhat faster than homes on Metro Vancouver's softer reservoir supply, which is worth mentioning to your technician so they can gauge whether closer monitoring or more frequent descaling makes sense for your specific water source.
Because a combi boiler eliminates the need for a separate hot water tank, NTI units are common in homes and townhomes where mechanical closet space is limited — no indirect tank to accommodate alongside the boiler. Annual service in these tighter spaces still needs full access to the unit, so it's worth confirming nothing has been stored or shelved in front of the boiler before your technician arrives.
| Component | What a technician looks for |
|---|---|
| Primary heat exchanger | Scale, soot, or corrosion affecting space heating efficiency |
| Secondary plate exchanger (combi) | Scale affecting domestic hot water flow and temperature |
| Sidewall vent | Blockage, ice buildup, or correct condensate slope |
| Flow sensor (combi) | Accurate response when a hot water tap opens |
A gradual decline in hot water performance is usually a scale or flow sensor issue worth flagging at your next service; a sudden loss of heat and hot water together is worth a sooner call.
Safety note
If you ever smell gas anywhere near a boiler, water heater, or gas line, leave the home right away and call FortisBC's emergency line at 1-800-663-9911 from a safe location outside — don't flip switches, light a match, or try to find the leak yourself. Gas boiler and water heater work, including venting changes, combustion adjustments, and gas line connections, must be performed by a Technical Safety BC licensed gas fitter.
Because it produces domestic hot water through a secondary plate heat exchanger in addition to serving space heating, which adds specific checks a standard boiler-only unit doesn't need.
Slower time to reach hot water temperature, or reduced flow rate at the tap that isn't explained by a fixture problem, are the usual early signs.
It can — homes on Fraser Valley well water sometimes see faster scale buildup than homes on Metro Vancouver's softer reservoir water, which is worth mentioning to your technician.
Yes, that's a common reason homeowners choose a combi boiler — it produces domestic hot water on demand rather than storing it in a separate tank.
Once a year is standard, ideally before the heating season starts, given that combi models rely on both heat exchangers performing well through winter demand.
Yes, on a combi model both sides are checked — the primary heat exchanger for space heating and the secondary exchanger and flow sensor for domestic hot water.
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