With winter just around the corner, finding out your boiler has broken due to lack of maintenance is the last thing that you want to be worrying about.
In short, you should service both gas and oil boilers once every 12 months. While it’s not a legal requirement to service your boiler, it’s essential that you stay on top of maintaining your boiler to ensure that you’re properly maintaining it and to prevent issues from occurring.
Neglecting the task of servicing your boiler can lead to operational issues and inefficiencies over time, and could even result in you needing to replace your boiler sooner than you ordinarily would.
A well maintained boiler can last up to ‘10 to 15 years’, but the lifespan of your boiler can decrease significantly if you fail to service your boiler on a regular basis.
Signs that you might need to service your boiler include, but are not limited to:
- You’ve not serviced your boiler in a while
- Your boiler seems less energy efficient
- The boiler is experiencing operating issues
- Your boiler is slower to heat up than usual
1. You’ve Not Serviced Your Boiler In A While
The first indication that your boiler needs servicing is that you’ve not serviced your boiler in a while.
As we’ve mentioned above, you should be servicing your boiler every 12 months to keep it in the best working condition.
That said, if you’ve checked the service history for your boiler and it’s not been done in the last year, then your boiler is due a service.
Failure to service your boiler regularly will lead to operating issues and even mechanical failure if you’re not mindful to get booked in.
2. Your Boiler Seems Less Energy Efficient
Another indicator that your boiler needs servicing is that your boiler seems less energy efficient than it has been in the past.
While the age and make of your boiler will largely determine how energy efficient your boiler is, ensuring that you maintain your boiler can help this, too.
The certified engineer will check your boiler is working safely and efficiently, undertake a set of checks, such as determining whether boiler is at the correct gas pressure, as well as identify any potential issues.
When you consider that energy bills have skyrocketed by 80% as of October 2022, finding ways to be more energy efficient is on many people’s minds.
That said, servicing your boiler not only helps to make your boiler more energy efficient, but will also save you money on your energy bills in the long run.
3. The Boiler Is Experiencing Operating Issues
Thirdly, if your boiler is experiencing operating issues, then it’s likely that your boiler needs servicing.
The longer your boiler has gone without a service, the more likely it will begin to experience operational issues. Potential issues you might be experiencing could be boiler leaks, low pressure, and the pilot light going out to name a few.
A study carried out by Which found that out of 8,001 boiler owners, ‘only around three in 10 boilers that are serviced annually have needed a repair in their first six years’, emphasising just how much the long-term health of your boiler relies on being serviced and maintained.
At Towy Valley Heating, we offer both boiler installations and boiler servicing. If your boiler is in need of servicing, be sure to get in touch today to book yours in.
4. Your Boiler Is Slower To Heat Up Than Usual
Last, but not least, if your boiler is slower to heat up than usual, it’s likely that it’s due a service.
If your house feels colder than it usually would, and your water is taking longer than normal to heat up when you’re waiting to shower, then this could indicate that your boiler isn’t working as it should.
While this might seem like a small price to pay in the first instance, your boiler being slower to heat up than usual might indicate the start of a string of larger issues that you need to fix in the future.
Bearing this in mind, it is advisable to see to the issue before a bigger problem arises by booking your boiler in for a service.
Suppliers across the UK are required to deliver ECO from 2020, but we at Towy Valley Heating are proud to have been involved with the ECO scheme since it began. Contact us to find out more about the free heating measures we offer, and if you are eligible.
Written by Jemima Thomas for Towy Valley Heating.