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Maintaining your boiler is extremely important to keep on top of and is often overlooked by UK homeowners. When a boiler is not running efficiently, they are actually more expensive to run and can be a risk to you and your family. We understand that repairing or replacing your boiler can be quite costly, that’s why we are here to help!
We have gathered together our top ten tips to keep in mind when trying to maintain your boiler.
Getting a professional boiler service every year will provide you with many benefits. This hassle free service will make sure your boiler is running and working effectively, prevents potential breakdowns, maximises the boilers lifespan whilst keeping your heating bills low. Having your boiler serviced regularly will also ensure that is it protected by the manufacturer’s warranty. A boiler service will be carried out by a Gas Safe engineer who will be able to spot anything that is not in safe and working order and will resolve them before they turn into a more costly problem.
Checking your boiler pressure is important as it ensures hot water is able to circulate around the radiators and pipes in your home. A boiler set at a wrong pressure can stop this from happening. To do this, you should check the pressure gauge to make sure it is at the correct pressure. You can find the correct pressure level for your boiler in the manufacturer’s user manual. Once you know the correct level, you can adjust the pressure yourself.
Make sure there is plenty of space around your boiler. This allows for the best boiler ventilation. Try to not make your boiler cupboard very cluttered (e.g. hanging your clothes on it).
Your boiler must always burn with a prominent blue flame as this is a sign it is working correctly. If you notice it is burning with a yellow or orange flame, this shows there may be a risk of a carbon monoxide leak. You should contact a Gas Safe engineer immediately.
If you notice your boiler have an orange/yellow flame, then do not hesitate to contact us on 07496901102. We will aim to get a Gas Safe engineer to you as quick as possible.
You should aim to bleed your radiators at least once a year. This is because over time air can become trapped in your radiator and these air pockets will prevent the radiator from fully heating up, causing cold patches. To release this air you’ll need to bleed them. Start by turning off your heating and use a radiator key to turn the valve at the top of the radiator. Slowly turn the valve, having a cloth or rag ready to catch any water that comes out. You may hear some hissing – this is just the air escaping the radiator. Once you hear no more hissing and only liquid is coming out, quickly retighten the valve.
The radiators that are the furthest away from your boiler may be colder than the once closer to it. In that case, you will need to balance your radiators. To do this, follow these steps:
1. Turn off your heating and list all radiators in your home on a piece of paper.
2. Open both radiator valves on each radiator completely.
3. Turn your heating back on and make a note on your list of which radiator heats up first. (This will most likely be the one closest to your boiler).
4. Turn your heating off so all radiators have cooled down and then turn the heating on again.
5. Go to the fastest heating radiator and completely close the lockshield valve. Once closed, open it by a quarter of a turn. (You are nearly there!)
6. Once the radiator is heated, take a temperature reading where the pipework connected to the lockshield valve meets the floor or wall. Now take the temperature of the pipework connected to the manual valve. Slowly open the lockshield valve until the temperature reaches a 12 degrees celsius difference than the lockshield valve reading.
7. Do this with your other radiators and then they should all be balanced.
This can be quite a complex task. If you would like George Kitchen to solve this issue for you, please get in contact with us. We would be happy to help.
It is common for radiators to have a problem where they are warm at the top but cold at the bottom. This can be caused by dirt and debris build up over time that settles at the bottom of the radiator. If this happens, this can make it harder to heat your home but can also cost you more in the long run with expensive bills. We recommend you have an engineer who can perform a power flush on your radiator/s.
Under flue regulations, they must now be visible and accessible so any problems such as cracks or loose joints can be spotted. If it is unaccessible, you will need an engineer to install an access panel.
The overflow pipe (your external pipe) can indicate that your boiler is not operating properly if you can notice dripping from it. If so, a Gas Safe engineer can resolve this issue for you. When you notice this problem, give us a call on 07496901102. We will be happy to help.
As it is now winter season, having your central heating working properly is very important. Therefore, we suggest to insulate your pipes to prevent them from freezing and then having to deal with the cost of a boiler breakdown at a time when you need your heating the most. Insulating your pipes is very straight forward and is cheap to buy from your local DIY shop.
