Is Your Boiler Winter Ready?

• Get it serviced if you haven’t already. An annual service is essential for safety and to make sure your boiler is working efficiently, without wasting money. During a service, our engineers carry out a series of checks and may make adjustments to ensure the boiler fires up and heats water effectively. A typical service takes under an hour and can address many issues before they develop into major problems with your central heating system. Customers are often unaware of potential issues, and even gas leaks regularly go unnoticed until one of our engineers turns up for a service and carries out their standard safety checks!
• Check the pressure gauge. Most boilers operate efficiently between 1 and 1.5 bar when cold. If the pressure is too low or too high, it can affect heating performance and may even cause the boiler to shut down. High pressure left unchecked can weaken water carrying components which can lead to your boiler springing leaks over time. In worst-case scenarios, this can become so bad that it’s more cost effective to replace the boiler than repair multiple leaking parts! Low pressure is often caused by a faulty expansion vessel, which is a straightforward repair but it can also indicate a possible leak in the system. Continually topping up pressure, introducing oxygen and fresh water, speeds up corrosion in your heating system, which can result in a build up of sludge which is costly to remove and can cause long term issues. Bleeding radiators can also reduce the pressure in your boiler, so it’s worth checking the gauge afterwards. The system can usually be topped up easily with water, but this should only need to be done once or twice a year; if the pressure drops repeatedly, it could point to a larger issue which should be checked by a Gas Safe engineer.
• Check your radiators for hot and cold spots or gurgling noises. You can try bleeding them to see if that helps. But if this makes no difference, then these signs could indicate a build-up of sludge in the system, which can make your central heating sluggish and put extra strain on your boiler. Power flushing is a highly effective treatment in these cases, clearing out your system and restoring it to full efficiency.
• Test your thermostat. Make sure it’s working correctly and set to a comfortable temperature. Newer smart or digital heating controls, such as the Hive, Bosch Easy Control and Tado are worth considering if you’re looking to make long-term savings. These upgraded thermostats can help reduce energy costs by tailoring your heating schedule more effectively and giving you greater control over your system. They’re especially useful for people who are in and out of their homes at different times of the day, as settings can be adjusted on the go from a mobile device. Thermostatic radiator valves are also worth considering. They allow each room to have a different temperature setting, so less energy is used to heat rooms that aren’t being occupied.

It’s also possible to create “zones” in your house so that upper floors for example are left cooler than lower ones which are used more during the day.

If you’ve had an annual boiler service with us, then you should be all set for the winter. We’re always on hand to help with any queries and if you’re looking to upgrade your boiler or heating controls, give our friendly team a call.