How to Look After Your Boiler

A broken boiler is probably the most distressing piece of equipment to go wrong in the house, particularly during winter. We rely on our boilers to heat our homes, give us hot baths and showers, and other vital functions. Though you cannot prevent your boiler from breaking down at some point, there are some regular maintenance routines you can carry out to reduce the chances of a boiler breakdown. Read on to learn how to look after your boiler.

Keep it Ticking Over

During summer and autumn, seasons when your boiler is used less frequently, it is good practice to turn the heating on for 15 minutes at a time, once a month. This keeps the boiler working and helps to reduce the chances of the boiler failing during heavy use in the winter time. Also, if there are any problems with the boiler, turning it on occasionally will alert you to any problems before the winter when a functioning boiler is most essential.

Check for leaks

A carbon monoxide detector will alert you to any boiler leaks which as well as showing up any boiler problems could save a life. These detectors are inexpensive and have huge value. Should you detect a leak, make sure to call a gas engineer straight away.

Get it serviced

Most people would agree servicing a car on a regular schedule is a good thing, so why not your boiler? Having a gas engineer inspect your boiler once a year could flag up any potential problems before they become serious and render your boiler useless.

As a bonus, a boiler engineer can check your boiler’s settings to ensure it is running at optimal efficiency, leading to savings on your gas bill and a better boiler. When looking around for a gas engineer, make sure they are on the gas safe register and have good reviews or come recommended from a friend or family member.

Check the pressure

Ensure your boiler is operating at the correct pressure (refer to your boilers manual to find out what this is). Most boilers have gauges on them to make it easy to check this. If the pressure is too low, your water pressure may be undesirably low.

A pressure that is too high may be putting unnecessary wear and tear on the boiler’s parts. If unsure what is ideal, or how to set the correct pressure, get in touch with a gas engineer.

Check the water

Living in a hard water area can affect the performance of your boiler, as hard water supplies have a higher concentration of minerals, which can lead to lime scale build up within the boiler.

If you think this is a problem, many gas engineers offer a power-flush service which if carried out properly will flush limescale deposits from your boiler and other water pipes around the home. Ensuring your boiler doesn’t have excess build up of limescale will help to prolong its working life.

If your boiler is broken, showing an error code consider checking this Boiler Error Codes database or you simply need more information on keeping your boiler in good working order, contact Colchester & Ipswich’s expert engineers, A&D Plumbing Services.