Winter Advise To Keep Your Boiler Working

With summer now past, most of us have now switched the heating on for the first time. 

So what’s the best advice to keep the boiler working?

If your boiler is under 14 years old it will be a condensing type boiler,

whilst these boilers are good for efficiency and the environment, they don’t like the cold weather. 

I know that sounds strange, but its true.

To keep your boiler working in the colder months make sure the condense pipe is protected from the weather.

If you are not sure which pipe is the condense, check your boiler manual. It’s normally a white plastic pipe routed into a drain.

Some are routed to an internal drain, if this is the case then you should have no problem. 

Should it be routed to an external drain, make sure the pipe is well insulated, otherwise,

the pipe could freeze and the boiler will stop working and go to lockout.

If you have any other external pipes, again check that they are protected, the same for any pipes within the loft area.

Make sure the boiler has an annual service, this will check that everything is working as it should be.

Should anything needs fixing it can be carried out there and then.

Many people don’t bother with a service because they think they are covered by a warranty or insurance, this is not true. 

To keep a warranty or insurance active the boiler must have a service every 12 months, otherwise, it becomes void.

You don’t want the boiler breaking down on the coldest day, so a service is essential.

Keep your boiler flue pipe clear, you will be surprised how many flue pipes are partly blocked by leaves from climbing plants.

The flue pipe as 2 functions, first it removes the products of combustion from the burner,

it also supplies the boiler with fresh air so it can burn clean and efficiently.

A partly blocked flue makes the boiler burn incorrectly, it will also increase the amount of gas it uses, as well as reduce its lifespan.

For the older boilers, the same applies annual service and keep the flue clear.

Check that there are no other problems with the rest of the system, IE, leaking radiators valves, time clocks and thermostats are all working properly.

Another common problem is pressure loss if your system is continually losing pressure, have it checked and repaired. 

It’s better to call in a professional local gas safe boiler engineer to give your heating system the once over, this should keep your boiler working over the winter.

Keep your boiler working this winter and stay warm.