5 Home boiler care & maintenance Tips

Many of us don’t give our boilers a second thought until there’s a problem. When that happens, it’s quickly apparent just how important it is to the home. None of us want to end up in that situation, which is why it’s essential to try and maintain your boiler system to prevent damage. In this blog, we detail our top five tips for home boiler maintenance.

What’s the cost of a boiler replacement?

The cost of a boiler replacement varies, but we wrote a handy guide on boiler replacement and installation in case you need a new one. By following the tips in this blog you can help lengthen the lifetime of your current boiler. Saving you not just money but the time it takes to get a new boiler!

Run simple boiler checks

There are several great boiler maintenance methods, but the simplest is to check it regularly. Depending on where your boiler is housed, it’s good to make a habit of periodically checking it for signs of leakage. This can be a sign of internal damage and will need to be fixed urgently. Similarly, if you can see the pilot light in your boiler, then make sure it has a strong blue flame. You don’t need to check the boiler too often, but if you do it every month or so then you’ll know you’re safe.

Run some boiler tests

It’s always good to give your boiler a visual inspection and to check for signs of disrepair and damage. However, it’s also important to run some boiler tests for yourself from time to time. It’s not a difficult test, turn the heating on and check to see that all the radiators have come on. Even in the summer, it’s worth running the test as it will prevent the seize up of any components that haven’t been used in a while.

Bleed your radiators and improve heating performance

When you’re checking your radiators, you might notice that certain ones heat up quicker than others. This happens when air in the radiator builds up over time and prevents units from working as effectively as possible. In this situation, you will need to ‘bleed’ your radiators to remove the excess air. Bleeding a radiator is a relatively straightforward job and can be carried out by most homeowners. There are several excellent guides online on how to overcome the problem.

Have an annual boiler service

Alongside doing your check, it’s also essential to get a gas boiler service to know it’s running efficiently. A standard check will inspect, test, clean and diagnose any damage within your boiler. The standard gas boiler service cost is £50 to £100, but it can save you a lot of money further down the line if it means spotting a problem before it gets out of hand. Most boiler warranties will require an annual service to remain valid, so you must get one when necessary. In turn, this makes annual service checks the most popular form of gas and steam boiler maintenance.

Try a power flush to remove sludge

A power flush is a popular gas boiler maintenance process, which helps remove the sludge that’s built up inside a central heating system. Most heating installers and large gas companies will require homeowners to carry out a power flush when fitting a new boiler. Flushing out these unwanted by-products can extend the life of your boiler and prevent it from failing prematurely. What’s more, once the system has been cleaned, the installer will inhibit the system and fit a system filter. This will mean that moving forward, the boiler has a better chance of staying clean, which will prolong its lifespan.