How often does a boiler need servicing? You should regard your boiler a little like you regard your car. Boilers are mechanical devices, which need regular servicing in order to keep them in good condition, and to head off problems before they develop.
Just like your car, you should have your boiler serviced annually, by a Gas Safe-registered engineer. You should combine this annual check up with a gas safety check. If you carry out these two checks once a year, your boiler should remain problem free and safe until the following year.
Related: My boiler has lost water pressure. What can I do?
Safety First
Whilst the cost of a service can be a nuisance, it does provide you with total peace of mind with regard to keeping you warm and safe all year. Gas leaks from boilers are rare, but they can happen. Carbon monoxide poisoning is unlikely to occur, but it is not unheard of.
By making sure all your valves and connectors are in perfect condition, you will simply not have these concerns. Crucially, an old boiler can run for years longer with regular servicing. You will save money in the long term by keeping your service record up to date. Boiler servicing should not be overlooked for this reason alone.
Where can I get a boiler service?
Your energy supplier probably offers such a service. Npower do, as do British Gas. In fact, the British Gas HomeCare service is very good.
What does a boiler service entail?
This depends on the type of boiler you own and how old it is. The tests vary, depending on the type of boiler you have. For example, with a modern condensing boiler, you may find that there are issues with the combustion performance. The engineer will take CPA readings (Combustion Performance Analysis) to check for faults. If he needs to replace the seal, he will open up the heat exchanger, replace the seal and affix a label with the date he changed the seal.
Related: How to book a British Gas annual service
Your engineer will provide you with documentation to show the tests he has undertaken and how well your boiler has performed. It is important to maintain all the records that your engineer provides. If you have taken out an extended warranty on your boiler, for example, you will need CPA documentation and service checklists as proof for the manufacturer that you are looking after your boiler properly, by having an annual service. You should be provided with a boiler logbook – much like a car logbook – with a full service record available.
Having an annual service on your boiler will prevent problems arising in the winter months. This is when many boiler problems seem to occur, as the central heating tends to be left off in the summer. When the boiler is suddenly fired up in winter, the valves can get stuck and cause a fault. You can help to keep your boiler in good condition by regularly turning on your heating during the summer months, just for twenty minutes at a time.
Don’t wait for the next cold snap to ring an engineer. Get your boiler serviced annually. Cold can kill, so if you have elderly relatives make sure they have an annual service booked too.