5 Helpful Tips On How To Avoid A Boiler Breakdown
During the colder winter months, boiler use becomes much more common around this time of year, and so too is the number of boiler breakdowns occurring. The last thing anyone wants is to encounter a broken down boiler, especially when they need them the most this time of year and the price of a new boiler or a boiler repair can be expensive. A boiler breakdown can also leave you without hot water which will be very inconvenient during the winter months.
Minimise the risk of your boiler breaking down this winter with our helpful tips that will help to put your boiler in good stead for the months when you will rely on it the most.
Bleed Your Radiators
Before the more frequent use of your boiler during the winter months, you can bleed your radiators. There are a few signs that you can spot when you start to use your boiler. If you can hear weird noises such as rattling-bubbling-like sounds coming from your radiator, then this is an indication that there is trapped air which can prevent your radiators from fully heating. Of course, another dead giveaway that there might be an issue with your boiler or radiators is that when turned on, your house is not heating up properly.
Get Your Boiler Serviced
Just like a car needs regular servicing to keep it functioning and working efficiently, a boiler also needs regular servicing if you want to avoid a broken down boiler. It is advised to have an annual boiler servicing which can legally only be carried out by a fully qualified gas engineer. Having your boiler serviced will allow professional engineers to spot-check your boiler to see if there are any faults which can be detected early on before the heavier use during the winter months.
A broken boiler when left undetected can also be potentially fatal as a broken boiler could leak carbon monoxide which results in a handful of deaths each year.
Check The Pressure On Your Boiler System
For a boiler to be working at optimal efficiency, there must be a constant water pressure which usually must be between 1-1.5 bar for all common gas boiler systems. The loss of frequent water pressure can cause your boiler to break down which can be more common during the winter months when pipes can become frozen when temperatures plummet. To spot-check your boiler pressure, most boilers will have a pressure gauge display on the front to help you monitor the water pressure amount.
Give Your Central Heating System A Power Flush
Power flushing your central heating system will help to prevent the need for boiler repair from occurring and can help boost your boiler efficiency. When you heat up a boiler, there can become over time a build-up of minerals which solidify when the water becomes heated. When this build-up occurs, blockages are more prone which leads to clogged-up immersion heaters.
A power flush for your entire central heating system is the process of pushing a high-pressure amount of water through the system with special chemicals that help to rid any blockages which can be a more cost-effective solution than having to have your boiler replaced.
Insulate Your Pipes
During the cold winter months when freezing temperatures are common, pipes become frozen which can result in a build-up of pressure as the water will freeze too. The build-up of pressure can lead to your pipes bursting which can end up causing damage to your boiler and property. Insulating your pipes with pipe insulation kits available in most DIY shops can prevent pipes from freezing which can prevent the need for having to pay for a new boiler or potential water damage to your property.
