Central Heating Engineer in Purfleet (173)

As you might have guessed by their title, a central heating engineer is a tradesperson who specialises in installing and maintaining central heating systems.

All central heating engineers are Gas Safe engineers. That means they’re qualified to work on gas central heating systems, gas appliances, pipework, and any associated fixtures and fittings that are part of a central heating system.

Some central heating engineers will work on both residential and commercial buildings, but others will often specialise in either domestic central heating while others focus primarily on larger scale commercial central heating systems.

Common jobs for a central heating engineer

Whether it’s a domestic or commercial system, a central heating engineer’s main priority is ensuring that the building they’re working on has a safe and efficient heating system.

Here are some of the most common jobs that a central heating engineer will carry out in the UK:

• Installing central heating systems and heating appliances, such as boilers and radiators

• Carrying out maintenance work on central heating systems and equipment

• Reviewing existing central heating systems to make sure they’re working efficiently

• Repairing any damaged or faulty heating appliances, pipework and/or fittings

• Testing central heating system controls and safety devices

• Providing advice and guidance on the central heating systems, safety and energy efficiency

Benefits of hiring a professional central heating engineer

There are a number of very good reasons why hiring a professional central heating engineer to install or service your heating system is a good idea:

• Central heating systems can be complex and require skills and experience to be properly installed and maintained

• Experienced central heating engineers can offer advice on the best type of central heating system to install for your home

• A local central heating engineers knows what to look out for to improve your home’s energy efficiency, and avoid issues in the future

• It gives you peace of mind that your central heating system is being managed by a qualified tradesperson

Want to speak to the best central heating engineers in Purfleet?

Sometimes it helps to have a quick chat with local central heating engineers to understand what options are available in your area and how much they’ll cost.

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If you need help with your central heating system, you might be wondering if you need a central heating engineer or a gas engineer.

We have many homeowners asking, ‘is a heating engineer the same as a gas engineer?’. And the answer is… sometimes. Some central heating engineers are also qualified gas engineers and will be Gas Safe registered. But not all.

For that reason, when looking for a tradesperson to get work on your central heating system, it’s always important to check that the person you’re speaking with has the necessary skills, experience and qualifications to work on it.

If you have a gas central heating system, always make sure that they are actively registered on the UK Gas Safe Register (their membership needs to be renewed every year).

The difference between central heating engineers and gas engineers

When it comes to heating and gas engineers, here’s a summary of the two trades:

Gas engineer:

• Are specifically trained to work with gas appliances

• Usually cover a wide range of gas appliances and systems, including central heating

• Are legally required to be registered for each of the services they offer with the UK Gas Safe Register

• Have the knowledge and skills to work with gas safely.

• Will have an official ID card to prove that they’re Gas Safe registered (make sure their card is valid and not out of date)

Heating engineers:

• Can provide all the same services as a gas engineer, as long as they are currently Gas Safe Registered

• Will only be able to carry out work on the non-gas components of a heating system if they’re not Gas Safe Registered – such as heat pumps, thermostats, power showers, water heaters and electric boilers

• Are able to install a gas boiler but will require a Gas Safe engineer to carry out the gas work and commissioning

• Can perform maintenance and cleaning services of central heating systems

Choosing the right engineer for your central heating system

You’ll find that many heating engineers are also Gas Safe registered, which means they can carry out all works on gas or non-gas central heating systems.

That said, it’s important that you check exactly which gas services they are licensed to provide, so that you can be confident you’re hiring the right tradesperson for the job.

If in doubt, the UK Gas Safe Register will have a record of all the training that the heating / gas engineer has undertaken so far.

Just because an engineer is registered to work on gas cookers doesn’t mean they can work on central heating systems – so check the register and make sure the tradesperson is registered for the services you’re hiring them for.

The cost of a central heating engineer in the UK can vary but, on average, you’ll be looking at a price of around £40 - £60 per hour.

If you need a central heating engineer to come out in an emergency, you’ll be expected to pay an emergency call out fee and a higher hourly rate for any subsequent work on that visit.

The average emergency hourly rate for a heating engineer is typically £75 - £150 per hour, with the emergency call out fee being around £100 - £120.

When hiring a heating engineer, you want to make sure you're hiring an experienced and reliable tradesperson.

Here are our top tips for choosing the best heating engineers in your area:

1. Use Checkatrade to get recommendations (shameless self-promo!)

Search thousands of approved and guaranteed tradespeople on Checkatrade and have a peace of mind that every tradesperson has to pass up to 12 thorough checks before becoming a member.

All registered Checkatrade members also have to meet our standards in everything they do – and we’re so confident in our members that we guarantee their work for up to a year (T&Cs apply).

2. Request quotes from at least 3 tradespeople

As with all home improvement projects, we always recommend getting at least three quotes for your central heating work. By shopping around you can make sure you’re paying a fair price for the work.

Thankfully, we’ve got a very handy request a quote feature that makes it super easy to get multiple quotes for a job. Simply post details about the work you need doing, and we’ll send it out to local tradespeople in your area. Give it a go now!

3. Make sure they have the relevant qualifications

When it comes to central heating systems, especially gas central heating, you want to make sure the tradesperson you hire has the necessary skills and qualifications.

Ask for proof of their training and qualifications and check if they’re registered with the relevant trade associations or national bodies and trade schemes, such as TrustMark, Competent Person Scheme, and the Gas Safe Register.

4. Choose tradespeople with local experience

Hiring a central heating engineer with local experience can be beneficial as they’ll have a working knowledge of the local area, such as energy schemes or initiatives that you could benefit from.

They’ll also have access to a local network of suppliers and labour, and will be close at hand should you need them during the course of your central heating project.

5. Ask for customer references (and contact them)

One of the best ways to choose a reliable and skilled central heating engineer is to get feedback from their previous customers.

Reviews online, such as on their Checkatrade profile, can be very useful. But, if you’ve found a central heating engineer that you think could be right for the job, ask them to provide you with references from previous customers about the quality of the tradesperson’s work, what it was like to work with them, and would they hire them again.

Get more tips on how to find a local gas engineer.

Make sure to hire right and hire once by reading our hiring guide.

In order to move a gas meter you’ll need a Gas Safe registered engineer to carry out the work – in the UK it’s illegal for a non-registered engineer to work on gas appliances and equipment.

That said, before you go about organising an engineer you need to check with your local gas company as you might be able to get your gas meter moved for free.

If your gas supplier won’t move your meter for free, you’ll want to hire an experienced local gas engineer to carry out the work.

Things to consider before moving your gas meter

Here are a few things you might want to think about before going ahead with moving your gas meter:

• Identify exactly where you want to move your gas meter to (make sure it’s a well-ventilated, secure area away from obstacles and lots of passing foot traffic)

• Have your gas Meter Point Reference Number (MPRN) to hand (it should be mentioned on your gsa bill)

• Work out how much gas you use in a year (otherwise known as your “Annual Quantity” or “AQ”)

• If you have an older property or your gas consumption has increased a lot, you need to upgrade the supply pipe and/or the gas meter itself

• Consider installing a smart gas meter at the same time as moving your gas meter – smart meters are brilliant at identifying gas wastage (which is very handy at times of high energy costs)

• There will inevitably be some kind of disruption to your gas supply when moving the meter, but check with the gas engineer before they start the work to understand the impact and duration of that disruption

Find the best local central heating engineers

If you’re ready to get started with moving your gas meter, we can help you find the best experienced local central heating engineers in your area – including those who come highly recommended by your neighbours.

Scroll/swipe up on this page to find and contact local central heating engineers yourself. Or, request a quote and we’ll do the legwork for you by reaching out to the best local tradespeople near you and we’ll get them to contact you directly.