Every year, when Christmas arrives, many families pack up their cars and head across the country to see their relatives with whom they’ll be spending the festive period.
With some of you planning to spend as much as a week away (perhaps longer if you’ve booked a Christmas holiday), there are several precautions you should take to ensure that your home (and those in the vicinity of your property) are safe from gas-related threats while you spend a few days away.
The last thing you want to come back to is burst pipes or a carbon monoxide leak from your boiler. So, with that in mind, let’s quickly run you through what you need to do before you leave for the holidays to ensure your gas appliances don’t cause you any necessary headaches.
Check Your Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Alarm(s)
One of the biggest threats presented by your gas appliances when you leave is a gas leak. Carbon monoxide is an odourless, colourless, and tasteless gas. Without a working carbon monoxide detector, you could be walking into a death trap upon your return. Fire is also always a risk, especially if you forget to turn a gas appliance off.
By ensuring that you have working carbon monoxide and smoke detectors, not only do you protect yourself and your family members, but you’ll ensure that your neighbours are protected too in case of an emergency. If they hear an alarm, they are more likely to contact you and the relevant authorities to alert them to the issue.
If you or your neighbours suspect a gas leak, you must immediately call the National Gas Emergency line on 0800 111 999.
Keep Your Central Heating On
It can be tempting to leave your heating off, seeing as you won’t be there to benefit from the warmth generated by your boiler, but it’s likely to end in disaster. The festive period is always a cold time of year, and turning your central heating off leaves your pipes at risk of freezing over.
Most boilers have a setting you can put on that kicks in to prevent the pipes from freezing. However, we recommend having your boiler come on at least once a day since long periods of inactivity often leads to problems. It’s no coincidence that plumbers and heating engineers are most often called out during Autumn when people turn their central heating back on for the first time in months.
Book in a Boiler Service Before You Go
One of the best things you can do before leaving for a winter break with your family is booking in a boiler service before you go. By having an experienced heating engineer look at your boiler before you go, they can spot any potential issues with your boiler or central heating system before they graduate into potentially catastrophic problems. The last thing you want to come back to is a home with no hot water or heating in the dying embers of December.
If you are concerned about the cost of a boiler service, remember that companies such as the GHS group offer hassle-free boiler maintenance plans that allow you to spread the cost of your annual service and other boiler maintenance work over 12 months. Plus, by being proactive with your boiler maintenance, you can avoid some of the most costly repairs, saving you money in the long run.
Talk To the GHS Group Today Before Leaving for Christmas
With so many people leaving home to spend time with families over the Christmas break, there are several steps you need to take to ensure that a gas appliance such as your boiler doesn’t leave you a nasty surprise on your return.
By booking in boiler service before you go on holiday (whether it be in summer or winter), you can have peace of mind that you’ve had your most crucial gas appliance looked at by a professional and had any issues taken care of before you leave.
You can check our boiler service prices here or take a look at our range of boiler maintenance plans if you wish to spread the cost of service and routine maintenance over several months.
Alternatively, if you have any questions regarding your boiler or central heating, don’t hesitate to contact a member of our team on 01329 285993.
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