Getting the most from your boiler

There is nothing worse than waking up on a cold morning, like the ones we have been having recently, to find you’re without heating. There are a few preventative steps you could take at home to reduce the chance of it breaking down – and hopefully save you some money.

Even if it hasn’t broken down, if you haven’t checked your boiler recently it might not be running at full capacity. Regular checks will ensure your heating system is running smoothly and efficiently. Making sure your boiler is cleaned and serviced regularly can also help detect any problems early before they become more extensive and expensive!  

You should get your boiler serviced regularly by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You can find a full check list here but there are some easy checks you can do yourself.  

Low water pressure is one of the most common problems that can stop your boiler from heating up properly, if at all. The good news is more often than not, you can resolve the low pressure yourself and avoid calling out an expensive engineer. The pressure should always be between 1 and 1.5 bars. It is a good idea to check the pressure once a month. If the pressure does not fall between 1 and 1.5 bars, you can simply adjust it. This will take only seconds and instructions for how can be found in your boiler's manual.  

When did you last bleed your radiators? Trapped air in your heating system can cause cold spots in your radiators. If your radiator is cold to touch when you know it should be hot, particularly at the top, it is likely caused by an air bubble. Bleeding your radiators releases the trapped air bubbles.  

You’ll need a radiator key, some towels and to check the heating is off, and the radiator is cold before starting.  A step by step guide can be found here.  You will have to bleed each radiator individually, which can take some time, but once you have it should resolve the issue. When your radiators function fully, you’ll need less energy to get your room to temperature, saving you money.  

To protect yourself and your home against boiler problems in the future, we work with HomeServe to provide boiler and heating cover you can rely on. With cover for unexpected boiler or central heating breakdowns as well as for plumbing problems, you can relax knowing HomeServe is on hand. You will also get a free boiler service in your first year with Heating and Boiler products.  

From February Anglian Water Direct and HomeServe are offering Plumbing and Drainage insurance for the promotional offer price of 50p a month in the first year. You can add on the heating and boiler insurance for as little as £13.50 a month. *  So, why not give yourself some peace of mind and take out an insurance policy now?

If you have concerns about paying your energy bills, you can get advice from Ofgem here. You can also find your local warm bank here.

*The 50p a month introductory offer runs from 2^nd February until 22^nd March and is only available to new customers of HomeServe, with standard pricing applicable after the first year of cover. Full details can be found here.