Autumn has barely begun and already there’s a chill in the air. Soon, it will be time to fire up the boiler and bed in for the cold months ahead.
Keeping your boiler in top working order is essential if you want to avoid unpleasant outages later in the year. It’s also a great way to ensure your central heating is running efficiently, and could save you up to 25% on your heating bills.
Here’s why you should book your boiler in now for its annual checkup to help make sure your home stays lovely and warm this winter.
Why do boilers break in winter?
Your boiler is the main system responsible for heating your home, and it does this by boiling water to generate steam. That steam then heats the air in a forced air system, such as your central heating or underfloor heating.
If your boiler doubles as your hot water heater, it will work all year round. But, as the temperature starts to cool, it will need to work much harder to boil its water.
This can put extra strain on your boiler, especially if it’s poorly maintained – and as a result, your boiler is more likely to break in winter.
How can you tell if your boiler is broken?
Boiler failure can present itself in a variety of ways – the most obvious being if it stops working entirely and your house becomes freezing cold. If your boiler also supplies your house with hot water, a broken boiler will also leave your home without hot water.
Worst of all, poorly maintained boilers can start leaking highly dangerous carbon monoxide gas. Over 4,000 people are admitted to A&E with boiler related carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK each year – so it’s important to get yours serviced regularly.
What does a boiler technician do?
During a service checkup, your boiler technician will check for oil or gas leaks, and maximise the efficiency of your boiler . An experienced boiler technician will also be able to listen for any strange noises that might indicate damage.
Should your boiler need replacing, they may also conduct a heating system flush to remove any waste or sludge that’s built up in your heating system.
How much could you save?
Having a boiler engineer optimise your boiler’s efficiency has the potential to substantially reduce your heating bills. For example, while some people view them as being generally less reliable, modern boilers are significantly more efficient than their older counterparts.
According to the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland, boilers more than 15 years old are likely to have less than 70% efficient. By contrast, modern boilers are typically more than 90% efficient.
That means replacing your old boiler with a new one has the potential to knock 25% off your heating bills.
Where can you find a reliable boiler technician?
With Bark, finding a reliable boiler technician is easy. We’ll do all the legwork to find you recommended local pros, so you can simply choose the one that’s right for you.
When selecting a boiler technician, it’s important to keep their level of experience in mind. If your boiler runs on gas, you should also ask if they’re a member of the UK Gas Safe Register, as all UK gas engineers are required to register with this body by law.
Place a Bark today to prepare your boiler for winter, and get quotes from recommended boiler technicians in your area fast and free.
Absolutely right! Worst thing ever is to have a broken boiler in the middle of the winter. Thank you for sharing those tips!
My husband and I just moved into a new home, so we want to make sure that everything is ready to go. I like how you point out that for many people their boiler doubles as their hot water heater, so it is important that it is inspected regularly so that it continues all its proper functions. I imagine that we’ll want to look for a technician that will come and make sure all is well, and know how to repair it if needs be. We’ll start by looking at reviews online from other people.
My sister recently moved into an older home with her family. She has noticed the heating unit in the house is far older than its expected lifespan. I didn’t realize boiler technicians can install new units while flushing any waste or sludge away that has built up. I’ll be sure to share this information with my sister.