Almost everybody in London relies on their heating system to keep them comfortable during winters. For the boiler to work properly it should be maintained properly otherwise even good boilers won’t work properly. In order for a boiler to work properly and extend its life you should repair or service it on time.
Most of the time landlords or homeowners don’t encourage doing boiler maintenance on time as they consider it a waste of money but don’t think of the money they spent on installing a new one. Just like we service our car or any other important equipment at home to avoid any miss convenience during its use, the same we should do for boilers.
If a boiler isn’t looked after properly can cause many problems and even sometimes can lead to boiler failure. Let’s discuss some of the issues that can arise in a boiler if it’s not maintained properly.
Components Failure
As the boiler gets old, problems in the components start showing up. Sometimes it can be the case with a new boiler as well if not maintained properly. Moreover, the replacement of components can be very expensive as compared to installing a new boiler.
Thermostat Problems
Thermostat, one of the most important parts of a boiler. If the thermostat has a fault your boiler will turn on and off automatically and eventually will cause failure of some parts of the boiler. Due to faulty thermostat temperature, boiler won’t be stable, sometimes it will go up and sometimes it will go down. As a result, the room will get too hot and water will be of no use.
Boiler Leakage
Sometimes we don’t take boiler leakage seriously but it can lead to a horrible situation. Mostly it’s caused by low-quality pipes used, corrosion in pipes, severe heat exchange, or in rare cases leaks from seals. It’s better to avoid boiler usage as sometimes pipes going through the property will result in damages in the long run. On the other side,if it comes in contact with electrical equipment causing short circuits. It’s better to use a professional boiler repair service rather than trying it yourself and making it much worse.
Pilot Lights Switching Off
The pilot light helps us to light the fire immediately and keep the water hot. Sometimes you will start facing a problem with the pilot light; it will switch off without any reason. Because of this, you will have to restart it again and again and this problem remains in the new modern boilers as well. It’s always advised to call a gas safe registered engineer to repair the pilot otherwise you will encounter problems in repairing it and moreover it’s considered illegal as well.
Stop Heating
Sometimes the boiler stops providing hot water and doesn’t warm the room as well. There can be many problems because of which the boiler stops working properly. Sometimes it may be because of the disconnection or weak connection of the electric power supply. Moreover, it can be caused by an increase or decrease in boiler pressure. Piping issues can stop the boiler from working properly as well so make sure when the boiler doesn’t perform properly you should check the pipes as well. As mentioned before it’s always good to get it checked by a professional before fixing it yourself.
Boiler Not Turning On
If your boiler is not turning on it’s simply an electricity failure. You should first check all the other equipment connected to the same power supply. If they turn on properly then it’s time to check the PCB of the boiler. It will be broken or fused in both of the cases get your boiler replaced by a professional.
Boiler Making Noises
Most of the time we don’t notice but our boiler makes some noises that should be paid attention to. When it gets noticed either it is too late or the situation is out of control. You will hear different noises like rattling, humming, vibration, dripping and tapping, etc. These noises are the signs that some of the parts of the boiler are loosely attached, or the pump inside the boiler is shaking. Moreover, sometimes you will hear dripping noise which is because of any problem in a radiator and should be tackled immediately. Once you hear your boiler making irregular noises contact an expert immediately instead of checking it yourself and waiting for it stop making noises otherwise you may end up replacing the boiler.
Low Boiler Pressure
Low boiler pressure is not something very dangerous or a big fault like the above but boilers will need more energy to make the water warm and for the central heating system to work properly. Its something you can fix yourself as well but would be more suitable if you get an engineer to fix it. Moreover if you don’t fix the problem in time you will notice a raise in electric bill. To know if your boiler pressure is low or high check out the gauge on the boiler. If the needle is in green zone it’s ok but if you see it in the red that means your boiler has lost water and should be taken care of immediately.
As discussed above boilers can have many problems but if they are taken care off on time by a professional gas safe registered engineer wont led to boiler failure. To avoid the above faults below is a checklist for you to follow .
- Make sure you check the area around your boiler once or twice a month to check if there is any leak.
- Check boiler pressure regularly, if its falling below or going too high the required limit deal with it immediately.
- Make sure to check the opening on combustion air, and remove any blockages directly.
- Do check the lights of boiler regularly if there is any warning, take it seriously and try to solve it as soon as possible.
- Pay close attention to the sounds your boiler is making if there is any unusual sound get it checked by a professional to avoid problems.
- Most of the time we avoid error codes but they are alarming as well so when you notice one take it seriously.
- Most of the time we install the boiler in a closed room or bathroom so make sure it has proper ventilation otherwise the boiler may heat up and will lead to boiler failure.
In addition to the above points below is the annual checklist for boiler or annual boiler service done by a professional. Below are the things that are checked during an annual boiler service.
- Boiler heating exchanger is checked and cleaned properly.
- All wiring inside and outside of the boiler is checked and if there is any fault its fixed on the spot.
- PH level of water is checked.
- Flames sensors of boiler are checked and inspected for any possible faults.
- Settings of the boiler are checked.
- Heating system is checked for corrosion and cleaned up properly if there is any.
- Boiler cover is removed and parts are checked for any possible problem.
- Once a boiler service is done you get a detailed report of your boiler including problems found and fixed.
Price of Boiler maintenance can vary from place to place and may depend on the model of your boiler. Make sure while selecting the company you checkout if their engineers are gas safe registered or not. Moreover do check out google reviews of the company which will give you a clear idea of how experienced they are and jobs they have done.
For a more precise search we recommend checking whichtraders website where you will find all the information at one place and would be more easy to select the best one.
David Harrison
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