A boiler is an essential part of any home or business premises, providing hot water and keeping you warm throughout the year – essential given our very unpredictable weather!
However, despite the vital role boilers play in our lives every single day, many people do not realise the importance of having their boiler professionally serviced on a regular basis.
The ultimate purpose of an annual boiler service is to ensure your boiler is running safely and efficiently.
It also helps protect your boiler from costly and unwanted breakdowns. After all, nobody wants to wake up in winter with no hot water, or be confronted with an expensive bill for a brand new replacement boiler when you least expect it.
To help illustrate why regular boiler servicing is so important, we’ve put together an easy-to-follow guide that answers one of the questions we are most frequently asked: what does a boiler service include?
Visual inspection of the boiler’s casing and seals
The first step of a professional boiler service is a thorough visual inspection of the boiler casing.
The engineer – who should be Gas Safe Registered for your safety and peace of mind – will check for any signs of rust, corrosion, or damage that could compromise the safety of the unit.
The casing seals are also inspected to ensure they are in good condition and have no damage.
All of these checks are designed to eliminate the risk of dangerous gases escaping into the home or workplace.
Checking the integrity of the flue run and flue seals
The flue is a critical component of any boiler, safely venting harmful gases away from the property.
Depending on the boiler’s location, the flue could run through boxed-in areas or the loft space.
During the boiler service, the engineer will inspect the entire flue run to ensure it is intact. Every flue joint is also inspected, with flue brackets added if necessary to ensure the joints are adequately supported.
Checking the integrity of the flue run is an immensely important aspect of a boiler service; a faulty flue can leak dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, which can be fatal.
Cleaning internal boiler components
Over time, dust and debris can build up inside the boiler. This has the potential to damage the boiler, in turn reducing efficiency and causing malfunctions.
The engineer will thoroughly clean all key internal components of the boiler, including around the air intake to ensure it’s free of any obstructions and running optimally.
This doesn’t just improve safety – a clean boiler runs more efficiently, reducing energy consumption and saving you money on your heating bills.
Flue gas analyser check for safe combustion
Professional boiler service engineers will always have a gas analyser with them, and the flue gas analysis test is an essential part of the service.
The gas combustion analyser measures combustion levels, ensuring the boiler is burning fuel correctly, and that the air and gas mixture is correct.
This test will confirm the boiler is operating safely and efficiently, and is not emitting any dangerous gases.
Checking the gas working pressures
The engineer will test the inlet and working pressures while the boiler is running to verify that the correct gas pressures are present.
The importance of your boiler having the correct gas pressures cannot be understated. If the working pressure is too low, the resulting gas leaks could be fatal.
Our video below – filmed during a customer’s routine boiler service, where low pressures were identified – explains in more detail why your boiler having the correct gas pressures is so critical:
Checking the heat exchanger and burner seals
The heat exchanger and burner seals are essential for the safe and efficient operation of your boiler. If these are leaking, the boiler’s internal components can melt from the excessive heat.
Thorough inspection of these as part of your boiler service is therefore vital.
Your engineer will check the exchanger, seals, and associated parts to ensure they are intact and not leaking.
If they are found to be defective or deteriorating, they will be replaced to prevent potential damage to the boiler.
To illustrate this, the video below shows a before and after of one customer’s boiler’s expansion vessel during a service we carried out:
Cleaning of the heating filters to remove debris
If your heating system has a magnetic filter, the engineer will clean or flush it as part of your boiler service in order to remove any built-up sludge and debris.
This is essential as it enables the magnet to continue working properly and guard against sludge getting into the boiler itself.
This is crucial for maintaining an efficient heating system and preventing radiators from breaking down, as debris can otherwise cause blockages and reduce the heating system’s performance.
Why are boiler services important?
Now that you have a clearer understanding of what work is carried out, it’s easier to see the five key benefits of a boiler service.
They are:
- Improved safety: Boiler services enable a trained, Gas Safe Registered engineer to identify safety defects and help prevent dangerous (and potentially fatal) gas leaks, including carbon monoxide.
- Improved boiler efficiency: Ensuring all aspects of the boiler are functional and running optimally helps to reduce energy consumption and can lower your energy bills.
- Prevent breakdowns: A professional service will detect and repair any minor issues with the boiler, before they escalate into far more costly problems.
- Extend the boiler’s lifespan: A well-maintained boiler lasts longer, saving you money on expensive replacements.
- Maintain the boiler’s warranty: Many manufacturers require annual servicing to keep the boiler’s warranty valid.
How often should you have a boiler service?
To keep your heating system in good working order, it is recommended to have a boiler service every 12 months.
As we’ve explained, this helps to ensure the boiler’s safety and efficiency, and guard against unexpected breakdowns.
Boiler services can be carried out at any time of year, although many people prefer to book them in just before the weather turns cold. This gives peace of mind that the all-important heating and hot water can be relied upon when you need it the most!
Book your boiler service with Everest Heating & Plumbing
Regular boiler servicing keeps your home warm, safe, and energy efficient.
At Everest Heating & Plumbing, our expert Gas Safe Registered engineers provide thorough and professional boiler servicing to ensure your system is in top condition.
So don’t wait until your boiler breaks down to give it the care and attention it needs. Book your boiler service with us today and rest easy knowing your essential heating system is in safest hands.
To book your boiler service, please contact us using the details below. We look forward to hearing from you!
