Boiler breakdowns happen more often in the winter months, due to the boiler having to work harder to heat up the home and cold temperatures freezing and bursting pipes. Frost and snow are never far away from the weather forecast predictions, so here are some tips to help keep your boiler and central heating system working efficiently in the colder weeks ahead.
Stick to low heat
If you keeping your boiler switched on all the time, this will help stop it freezing and will allow it to carry on working properly. For the most energy-efficient way to do this, keep the settings low when you do not need the water to be especially hot. This will enable you not to have to constantly adjust the gauge nor use extra fuel to turn it on and off to suit the current temperature requirements. If you feel cold inside your home, consider adding an extra layer before you decide to turn the heating setting up. Or boil up some water on the stove or in the kettle if you only need a small amount.
Regular servicing
Whatever the weather, get your boiler serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered, professional heating engineer. If there are any issues or problems, this will help the experts to find them earlier, hopefully before any real damage is caused. Consider the money you spend on regular maintenance and servicing checks as an investment against having to shell out far more for a new boiler, especially during the winter months when engineers are busier and time spent waiting for a new boiler more of a concern. Always book your servicing appointments early in order to ensure the availability that suits you and to ensure a warm and cosy house this winter.
Introducing insulation
If you have a condensing boiler, it can be a very good idea to insulate the condensate pipes leading in and out of the boiler in winter. This will help stop the water inside form freezing and bursting the pipes. can prevent them from freezing and bursting in very cold weather. Pipes are often installed along the outside of the house and so become far more exposed to the elements than other parts of the boiler and central heating system. If a pipe is already showing signs of freezing, wrap some wet rages around it that have been dipped in boiling water and wrung out. Once the water inside has melted, reset your boiler to get it flowing through the system once more.
Bleeding radiators
If your radiators feel cold in some places but not others, there is probably some air trapped inside, which is stopping hot water from flowing properly through the central heating system. Bleeding radiators, or opening the valve to release trapped air, them will get rid of any bubbles and help the hot water disperse correctly once again. It can also help discharge any debris that has built up inside the radiator over time. For a larger cleaning job, it is best to ask your gas engineer to carry out a full chemical flush. This will reach the whole system and clear away any larger build-ups or blockages lodged inside. You can find instructions for bleeding radiators online, or your boiler repair service will be able to help.
Older boilers
Boilers last around ten to 12 years as a rule. It’s also estimated that around an average of half of the boilers currently installed in the UK are more than five years old. Get some quotes now, if your boiler is getting older, so that you can be in as informed a position as possible when you do decide to take the plunge and have a replacement installed. Keep the phone number of a reliable emergency boiler engineer close at hand so that if you encounter problems during the winter months, you can summon help more easily. Look out for signs that your boiler is malfunctioning. These can include excess condensation or discolouring, increased noise while it is operating, smelling gas when it is switched on (or off) and seeing an orange or yellow flame burn inside the boiler unit (as opposed to a clear, blue one, which is normal).