[Anasa_EONNext]

As we get closer to those colder months and start prepping ourselves for the winter ❄ ahead and we start thinking about when would be a good time to pop the heating on...🤔...

Did you know that over 50% of domestic boiler breakdowns happen between November and February❓

Don't leave it too late!... Now is a great time to check your boiler to make sure everything is working as it should be so you can have peace of mind when you're ready to switch it back on!

So lets do them all important checks!...

✔At a time suited to you.. when it starts getting cooler - turn your thermostat up to 30c.

✔Turn your radiators up to the max they will go for 30 mins

✔Check that your boiler is on and that every radiator in the house is hot

Is your boiler due for a service?...

When was the last time you got your boiler serviced? 🤔

Did you know... If you've had a brand new boiler and it's still under warranty you're still required to do you annual boiler service check so that any repairs that may need doing will be done under warranty at no cost to you.

Do I really need to get my boiler serviced?

I know it's often the last thing you think of... until it's too late and let's be honest no-one wants to be left in the cold ❄ so let's start by scheduling in your annual service of your boiler so you can reduce the risk of it breaking down.

The older the boiler the more important it is to keep up your yearly services to keep them in good condition and running for longer.

How much does a one-off boiler service cost?

An annual boiler service inspection can cost you anywhere between £60 and £120 if you don’t have a boiler service cover. Any fixes, including labour and parts, will normally come at an additional cost.

Finding a gas safety engineer...

If you don't have a policy that covers your annual boiler service check you'll need to make sure you find an engineer that is Gas safe registered. You can find an engineer by going to the Find me a Gas Safe engineer you can check that they are registered by checking the engineers unique 7 digit licence number, each year the engineer will get a new Gas Safe card so each new card will have a different number.

Please note that if your boiler check is not done by a registered Gas Safe Engineer it will void your manufacturers warranty and cover.

What actually happens during a boiler service...?

It's pretty straight forward. A Gas Safe engineer will come out to your property and start a series of checks to make sure your boiler is doing what it should and is working as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Here's what your engineer will do on the visit..

• A visual look at your boiler, its controls and flues to check for any signs of damage or distress.
• A look at the controls and safety devices so the boiler can operates as it should.
• Inspect the construction termination and route of the flue and that there are no obstructions.
• Clean the main boiler components such as the main burner, flue and ignition pins.
• Check polarity and voltage readings.
• Gas and pressure flow.
• Record the boiler pressure or heat input.

Once your inspection is done you'll be given a report which you'll need to make sure you keep safe as this will keep your boilers manufactures warrant valid.

What if there needs to be any fixes?..

If your boiler needs a small fix then the engineer will normally try to fix it there and then. If it’s a bigger issue or perhaps parts are needed you may need to schedule another appointment to get it fixed along with a quote if it's not under warranty to get your boiler fixed.

How long will the appointment take?

A boiler service should take around an hour unless any repairs need to be done which could take a bit longer, your engineer will inform you if any repairs will needs to be done.

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[DebF_EONNext]

Great advice @Anasa_EONNext I think a boiler service is probably the last thing most people think about so this is a great reminder, I know I would forget 😂

Another thing you can do to prepare for colder snaps is to make sure you bleed your radiators for maximum efficiency. You can tell if your radiator needs bleeding if there are cold spots, usually it will be hotter at the bottom and cold at the top. This means that there's air trapped which needs to escape so that the water can continue to circulate more efficiently.

Does anyone else have any boiler or heating tips for over the winter?

We have an immersion heater in our home instead, it's a big old chunky water tank that has a heating element that works similar to a kettle, the element heats the surrounding water in the tank. In the winter it doesn't keep the heat as well so we have a jacket that we put over it to help regulate the temperature a bit and stop the heat from escaping and the water stays warmer for longer.

[WizzyWigg]

@DebF_EONNext If you are going to bleed the radiators.
Make sure your central heating system is turned off and the radiators are cool. If you have more than one radiator to bleed, start with the radiator furthest away from your boiler. Insert the radiator key into the bleed valve and place the cloth underneath to capture any water.

[Tommysgirl]

@WizzyWigg

Excellent advice. 👍

[WizzyWigg]

Originally Posted by Tommysgirl

@WizzyWigg

Excellent advice. 👍

Thank you. 👍. It's only what my centre heating chappie told me. 🙂

[JoeSoap]

Originally Posted by DebF_EONNext

Does anyone else have any boiler or heating tips for over the winter?

Balance your radiators. I did mine six years ago after I had a new boiler fitted. I could tell that they had never been balanced before. Some radiators were scalding hot whilst others, notably the lounge, were hardly warm. How did I do it?

There is a lockshield valve at each side of each radiator. One can be opened and closed easily by the white plastic 'tap handle' or it may have a thermostatic valve (TRV). This side needs to be fully open (anti-clockwise) on all radiators to balance the system. The other side normally has a white plastic cap. Remove the cap and you will see that this lockshield valve can be opened and closed with a spanner or pliers. This is where you balance the radiators.

So, ensure all the TRVs or 'tap handles' are fully open (anti-clockwise) and the CH is switched ON with the room thermostat turned up high.

Start with the hottest radiators and use your spanner or pliers to screw the lockshield down (clockwise) until it stops. Now open it maybe half a turn.

Move to the colder radiators and see how much warmer they get now that you have restricted the flow to the hot ones. If they are not that hot then open the lockshield on these radiators by turning them anti-clockwise. You may need to open it fully on some radiators.

Allow the system to settle for a bit and then check the temperature of all radiators. You can now open or close the lockshields a quarter of a turn at a time to get each radiator a bit cooler or a bit warmer.

This is a non-technical way of balancing the CH system without the use of thermometers on the inlet and outlet pipes of each radiator. It can take a while to get it right and you will maybe have to do it over several days so as not to have your CH blasting away for hours on end. Some lockshields will now be fully open whilst some only a quarter of a turn.

Once done, you can set any TRVs to keep each room as warm or as cool as you like. When lounge radiators are near the end of the system, as mine are, then they may take ages to get anywhere near warm. That means you have the CH on for longer to get the heat where you want it. Balancing the system means the whole house can be comfortable and in particular is a good thing to do if you don't have TRVs on your radiators.

[retrotecchie]

@WizzyWigg

If your heating system is like mine, there are two pumps. A pressure pump for the DHW which is generally used all year round, and a circulator pump for the central heating which can often just sit idle for six months of the year.

Even on my 18 month old installation, my circulator pump seized last year, simply because it just hadn't been used. In hard water areas, the calcium in the radiator water can set like chalk around the rotor and impeller.

Most pumps have a screw cap and seal on the cover which allows access to the impeller spindle. Before you try to run up the heating, it's a good idea to remove the cap and either use a pump key to rotate and free up the pump, or a pair of snipe nose pliers, to ensure it's not jammed up. It only takes a couple of minutes, but can potentially save you from shelling out for a plumber visit.

I tend to run my heating up for ten minutes every couple of months during the warm months, just so I can preempt any problems. Better to unseize a stuck pump when you don't need the heating on than finding you have to when you do!

[WizzyWigg]

Originally Posted by retrotecchie

@WizzyWigg

If your heating system is like mine, there are two pumps. A pressure pump for the DHW which is generally used all year round, and a circulator pump for the central heating which can often just sit idle for six months of the year.

Even on my 18 month old installation, my circulator pump seized last year, simply because it just hadn't been used. In hard water areas, the calcium in the radiator water can set like chalk around the rotor and impeller.

Most pumps have a screw cap and seal on the cover which allows access to the impeller spindle. Before you try to run up the heating, it's a good idea to remove the cap and either use a pump key to rotate and free up the pump, or a pair of snipe nose pliers, to ensure it's not jammed up. It only takes a couple of minutes, but can potentially save you from shelling out for a plumber visit.

I tend to run my heating up for ten minutes every couple of months during the warm months, just so I can preempt any problems. Better to unseize a stuck pump when you don't need the heating on than finding you have to when you do!

Definitely words of wisdom 👍.

[WizzyWigg]

Originally Posted by JoeSoap

Balance your radiators. I did mine six years ago after I had a new boiler fitted. I could tell that they had never been balanced before. Some radiators were scalding hot whilst others, notably the lounge, were hardly warm. How did I do it?

There is a lockshield valve at each side of each radiator. One can be opened and closed easily by the white plastic 'tap handle' or it may have a thermostatic valve (TRV). This side needs to be fully open (anti-clockwise) on all radiators to balance the system. The other side normally has a white plastic cap. Remove the cap and you will see that this lockshield valve can be opened and closed with a spanner or pliers. This is where you balance the radiators.

So, ensure all the TRVs or 'tap handles' are fully open (anti-clockwise) and the CH is switched ON with the room thermostat turned up high.

Start with the hottest radiators and use your spanner or pliers to screw the lockshield down (clockwise) until it stops. Now open it maybe half a turn.

Move to the colder radiators and see how much warmer they get now that you have restricted the flow to the hot ones. If they are not that hot then open the lockshield on these radiators by turning them anti-clockwise. You may need to open it fully on some radiators.

Allow the system to settle for a bit and then check the temperature of all radiators. You can now open or close the lockshields a quarter of a turn at a time to get each radiator a bit cooler or a bit warmer.

This is a non-technical way of balancing the CH system without the use of thermometers on the inlet and outlet pipes of each radiator. It can take a while to get it right and you will maybe have to do it over several days so as not to have your CH blasting away for hours on end.

Once done, you can set any TRVs to keep each room as warm or as cool as you like. When lounge radiators are near the end of the system, as mine are, then they may take ages to get anywhere near warm. That means you have the CH on for longer to get the heat where you want it. Balancing the system means the whole house can be comfortable and in particular is a good thing to do if you don't have TRVs on your radiators.

Brilliant tip 👍.

[meldrewreborn]

@retrotecchie

I think many systems have just one pump with a T valve to send boiler water to the heating circuit, or hot water tank, or both.
my system has two pumps, as yours, because originally the hot water was gravity fed, but when the tank leaked we switched to a pump for simplicity of installation.

Ive not had a pump seize, but have replaced noisy pumps - or at least the pump heads - which as you appreciate is a much simpler process than changing the whole pump.