Central heating and boiler maintenance must be prioritised this winter. Doing so will not only make the property more comfortable for occupiers but is essential for their health and safety.
Local authorities, councils, large commercial landlords, and housing associations that are knowledgeable about the heating systems they have in place, are aware of the signs that faults are present, and doing annual checks will put them in the best position to fulfil their occupiers’ needs and remain compliant.
Here’s what you need to know to keep your heating system in proper working order throughout the year.
Types of boilers to consider
Central heating includes everything from pipes, radiators, and heat pumps which are connected to the boiler. All aspects of these systems must be well maintained to function properly.
Properties have one of three types of boilers: a combination boiler, a system boiler, or a regular boiler also referred to as heat only.
Combination boilers cost between £550 and £2,950, not including installation. They have a programmer and a thermostat but are known for having lower maintenance costs. Water is heated on demand while the heating and hot water for the home is produced through a single unit.
System boilers store hot water for later use. Household Quotes claims although the installation cost is higher than traditional heating systems, they can save around £200 per year on energy bills.
Heat-only boilers, as the name denotes, only provide heating. They run using a hot water cylinder and cost between £500 to £1,680. They are typically the cheaper type of boiler to consider.
Potential faults and consequences to avoid
Local authorities, councils, large commercial landlords, and housing associations must keep an eye out for indications of faulty heating systems.
There could be an underlying issue if the boiler is noisy, the pressure drops/ rises rapidly, and if the boiler requires top-ups more than twice a year.
The efficiency of your heating system can be improved by bleeding the radiators. This only needs to be done once a year.
If your boiler is over 10 to 15 years old, you may want to consider getting a replacement. Upgrading to a more efficient boiler model will result in less heat and money being wasted when heating your properties.
Preserving the life of your boiler
To preserve the life of your boiler it should be serviced annually by a Gas Safe Register engineer . Failure to do so could have serious repercussions.
A fine of up to £6,000 could be imposed if the boiler is not serviced every 12 months. A faulty boiler could result in a leak of deadly carbon monoxide gas or even an explosion. Due to the risk involved, this could lead to higher fines or even a prison sentence.
Owners of the property must be aware that boiler cover-only policies will not account for the other parts of your central heating, such as the radiators. By making use of boiler and central heating cover, both can be protected.
Here at Propcert, we are a nationwide provider of property services including Energy Performance Certificates, Electrical Installation Condition Reports, Asbestos Surveys, Fire Risk Assessments and more.
For a full list of services please click here and contact us here for any more information on what we provide.