5 ways to maintain your boiler this winter
With the thought of winter just around the corner, the blankets make their way back out and the summer clothes begin to get pushed to the back of your wardrobe. You start to contemplate the idea of switching your heating on, but often leave it until the last minute in hopes of saving some pennies with the rising costs. When you do finally cave in to turning on your boiler and run into problems, leaving you waiting on an engineer at the busiest time of year. Here are some ways you can avoid running into unexpected problems with your boiler and heating this winter.
Have your boiler serviced
Having your boiler serviced is a sure way to provide you with peace of mind in the long run. A boiler service makes for a more efficient & reliable boiler, providing lower energy costs as well as avoiding costly repairs. Regular services means your boiler is likely to last longer, meaning you won’t have to fork out a large upfront cost for a new boiler.
Bleed your radiators and check the boiler pressure
Bleeding your radiators and topping up the boiler pressure is a simple and effective way to make your home warmer and reduce your energy bills. By removing the air pockets from your radiators, it allows the whole radiator to get warm instead of only parts of it. You may have been putting your heating on at a higher temperature to warm your house, but by bleeding your radiators you can turn the temperature down as more heat is being spread throughout the radiator. It is good practice to bleed your radiators once a year. Checking your boiler pressure is also a key factor to keeping your boiler running to full capacity and efficiency. If the pressure is too high there’s an increased chance of leaks happening in the system and if the pressure is too low the system won’t work as well. Learn how to bleed your own radiators.
Have your water pipes insulated
Having your water pipes insulated is a great money saver as it reduces heat loss and raises your water temperature. This is a relatively inexpensive way to reduce your overall monthly energy costs and have a warmer home.
Run your heating in the Autumn
We all wait until the very last minute to turn our heating on but doing this can leave you waiting on an available engineer if there are any faults. Putting your heating on earlier than planned can give you time to check and resolve any issues before the cold snap hits and you really need a working boiler. You are also more likely to get booked in with an engineer outside of the busy period as well as avoiding call out fees.
Take care of those draughts
Once you have your boiler up and running and heating your house for the winter, you don’t want to lose all of that heat through unnecessary draughts. Check all of your windows and doors and ensure you have adequate loft insulation.
Need a boiler service? gas-elec have qualified engineers nationwide. Get booked in today or call us on 08000418614
