How often should a boiler be serviced? This article looks at how often home owners should service their boiler and who should service it.
How often should I service my boiler?
Boilers need to be serviced at least once per year. This is especially the case if you have an oil or gas boiler. The annual boiler service is an opportunity for a qualified heating engineer to take a deep look over your boiler unit and ensure that it is all running as well as possible for you and your home.
Hopefully, this will give you some peace of mind knowing that the heating system is running at its most efficient and most safe. If you have an electric boiler, then you should keep in mind that these boilers do not require the same level of servicing as gas and oil boilers. Even still it is still recommended that you have your boiler looked over by a professional when it is possible.
If an engineer takes a look at your boiler and gives you the all-clear, and tells you that there is nothing wrong with the system, then at least you will have peace of mind knowing that nothing is going to go wrong with the system any time soon.
If you are a landlord, then having the boiler and flue system serviced annually within the properties that you rent out is a legal requirement. So it is important that you book annual boiler services for all of the properties that you own and rent out.
When should I have my boiler serviced?
Your boiler needs to be serviced at least once every twelve months. Other than this, there is really no right or wrong time to have your boiler serviced. Although you can have your boiler serviced at any time of the year, we would recommend arranging to have yours carried out during the summer months.
Having your property's boilers serviced in the summer is a fantastic idea for a couple of different reasons:In the summer months, installers and engineers will often have more free time in their diaries. In some cases, you will even find that the engineer's rates are lower in summer than they would be in the winter months.
Allows you to be confident that your boiler is in the best condition possible ahead of the colder winter months when you wouldn't want any issues with your boiler to occur
Who should service a boiler?
A boiler must always be serviced by a completely qualified heating engineer. However, the qualifications that they need to hold will differ depending on the type of boiler that requires the service.
Gas Boilers
A Gas Safe Registered engineer is the only person who is qualified to go through the servicing process on a gas boiler. This is incredibly important.
Oil boilers
It is required for an oil boiler to be serviced by an OFTEC-registered engineer. This is another important point that is vital for you to remember.
Once the respective heating engineer has arrived at your property in order to carry out the boiler servicing, it is recommended that you always ask to see their engineer license ID before they actually get to work on your boiler.
Why have a boiler service?
Having the knowledge of understanding when a boiler should be serviced is important to ensure that the boiler is running at its most efficient and safest. It will also keep your home at the ideal temperature all year long. Having regular maintenance performed on your boiler will reduce the risk of breakdowns and expand the lifespan of the boiler.
Safety
Safety - Every device that either burns wood or uses fossil fuels such as natural gas can produce carbon monoxide if they are in faulty shape. This gas is completely odourless, colourless, and tasteless, and this means that it can very easily go undetected for long periods of time.
It is important to have your boiler regularly serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer in order to ensure that your home is safe, carbon monoxide free, and that your family is in good health. It is also recommended that you always have working carbon monoxide detectors present in your home. This can ensure the safety of you and your family if something is wrong with your boiler.
Warranty
Although it is not a legal requirement, annual boiler servicing is often part of a manufacturer's conditions to maintain a new boiler's certificate of guarantee.
Essentially, there are some warranties that require annual servicing to be performed in order to keep the warranty valid. This is why it is so important for you to check your warranty details when you acquire a new boiler. It is the responsibility of the owner to book any service appointments during the warranty period.
Energy efficiency
A boiler that is maintained and regularly serviced will work in a way so that it is always running with optimum energy efficiency. This will prolong the total lifespan of the boiler massively.
Cost efficiency
This is the most important point for a lot of people. The cost of maintaining a boiler annually is often much less than the costs associated with replacing a boiler that has become completely broken or even the costs that will be required to repair a broken-down boiler.
It is common for boiler servicing businesses and energy suppliers to offer multiple options when it comes to boiler maintenance so that the cost can be spread. This means that you can ensure your boiler is in good condition as well as making less of an impact on your bank account.
Fault finding
It is an absolute stress-inducing nightmare to have your boiler break down in the middle of the harsh freezing cold winter months. If you do not want this to happen, then it is recommended that you have an annual boiler service to put your mind at ease. During the servicing process, the engineer will be able to identify anything that they foresee becoming a problem for the boiler in the future. Any issues can be fixed so you know that your boiler will be running as it was designed.
Fault Finding
Safety
What does a boiler service entail?
A boiler service may vary slightly from brand to brand, depending on the boiler's manufacturer and model. However, below are some general service features which will be conducted in almost all boiler service processes.
A visual inspection - This will check that the boiler is clean and that there are no visual signs of distress on the boiler
Operation control - This will test the controls of the boiler as well as the safety devices to ensure they are operating properly
Flue and combustion release - This ensures that there are no obstructions within the boiler's pipelines and that all fittings are completely secure from the boiler to the exit location.
Cleaning components - All main components of the boiler will be inspected and cleaned. This includes the boiler's main burner, the heat exchanger, the ignition pins, and the flue ways.
Boiler service checklist
There will also be a collection of different tests carried out during a boiler service. These will include:
- Seals
- Safety functions
- Heating controls
- Gas and pressure flow
- Operation of the boiler
- Electrical wiring connections
- Location of the boiler in relation to combustible materials
- Pilot burner
- Flame sense device
Plumb and Heat Hernebay provides the best boiler and heating services in and around Herne Bay. Whatever you require, our professional team can assist you with everything from small repairs to installing a completely new boiler.
