Boiler Service
Ensuring your boiler is working safely and efficiently.
Gas Boiler Service
Your boiler is more than likely the most important piece of equipment in your home. It provides you with warmth and hot water 24/7 throughout the whole year. Unfortunately, it can often be neglected. This is why a boiler service and operational safety checks are essential for ensuring your boiler is safe and operating at peak performance. A safety check will help to protect the household against the potential of carbon monoxide poisoning and ensure the boiler is operating efficiently. It will also help you save money on your heating bills. For the avoidance of doubt, the Boiler Service is not insurance or a regulated financial product.
We will arrange for a Gas Safe Registered Engineer to complete a service and operational safety inspection on a date agreed by you. All work will be carried out to Gas Regulations 26(9) which is the industry standard and can be found on the Gas Safe Register and HSE websites.
What Happens During a Boiler Service?
Before we list what happens during a service, it’s important to ensure that the engineer is qualified to carry out the work. If you have a gas boiler then the engineer must be authorised and regulated by the Gas Safe register. An oil boiler should be serviced by an OFTEC engineer. Ask to check their ID card before they start work on your boiler.
Here are some of the practices your engineer may carry out during their visit:
- Visual inspection – your engineer will check that the boiler still meets current standards and requirements and look for any corrosion or leaks. They will also visually check the flame in your boiler.
- Removal of the boiler casing – they will then check the components to ensure everything is working correctly and then clean the inside of the boiler. These checks should include the heat exchanger, burner, main injector and spark probe.
- Flue check – the engineer will ensure there are no obstructions in the flue terminals and that the flue is safely fitted.
- Gas pressure check – this will ensure your boiler is working at the correct pressure.
- Boiler fired up – this allows the engineer to check for any working faults.
- How Long should a boiler service take? About 45 minutes to 1 hour if it is done properly.
Landlords, it’s a legal requirement to have your boiler serviced yearly as well as PAT Testing and Electrical Condition Inspection Reports.
Only a qualified Gas Safe registered engineer can check gas appliances and flues annually to ensure everything is safe and sound. The required checks include boilers, but they also cover other gas appliances such as stoves, hobs, water heaters and fireplaces.
How much should I pay for a boiler service?
The average cost of a one-off boiler service is around £72, although the work can cost anywhere between £60 and £100. Large national firms tend to charge around 25 to 50% more for a boiler service than local businesses. You will see gas engineers advertising boiler services as low as £30, this is usually just a visual check and a gas flue test to see if it’s within its limits.
Why is an Annual Boiler Service Important?
Safety First
A boiler service gives the engineer the opportunity to identify safety issues such as a carbon monoxide leak. Carbon monoxide is an odourless and colourless gas which can quickly make you feel sick. It can cause brain damage and, in some cases, death. If you’re concerned that your boiler may not be working correctly, for instance the flame is orange rather than blue or there is a strong smell of gas, you should get in touch with a Registered Gas Safe engineer immediately, even if your annual service is not yet due.
Always make sure your Carbon Monoxide detector is in date. It should have the date installed written on it and they usually last 7 years.
Saves You Money
As a boiler gets older it will become less efficient. This means it needs to use more fuel to heat your home which will cost you more money. An annual service carried out correctly will ensure all the components are in the best possible condition and deliver a higher level of efficiency, for longer.
Preventative Breakdowns
It’s too easy to forget to service your boiler. This might be in the hope of saving yourself a bit of money. In the long run though, a boiler service will help keep your energy bills down and also spot a potential fault before it happens, saving you from a boiler breakdown and a large repair bill. Common call outs that can be prevented are Low Pressure in the system and Blocked Condensate Drains.
Warranty
Your boiler will usually include a manufacturer’s warranty of between 1 – 12 years which means any faults that develop in that time should be repaired free of charge. However, this warranty is only valid as long as you get the boiler serviced by a Gas Safe engineer every year and you can prove it. The boiler manual usually has a log book at the back. Get this filled out with each service or save the job sheets.
Boiler Service Standards
So to recap, if the boiler service is not carried out to the below standard it may shorten the life of your business:
- Regulation 26(9) Checks
- Visual check of the appliance and ventilation
- Flue gas analysis
- Check operating pressure / Gas rate where applicable (as per MI’s)
- Check safety devices
- Check integrity of case seals
- Remove boiler cover clean and inspect where applicable
- Check and clean the condensate trap
- Ensure correct operation of the appliance and components
- Visually check then bleed radiators and re-pressurise system (if required)
- Check hot water tank (if applicable)
- Complete service information in the boiler manual, including details of any faults found
At GHS we offer our own boiler cover plans to protect you when your boiler breaks down and may need a costly repair. See here for the details of our maintenance plans.
If you would like to know more please contact us or you can book an appointment if you want to book an engineer online for your boiler service.
