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Boiler Maintenance
Why do I Need to Verify that my Boiler is Operating Well?
A boiler is most of the time an important investment. Even if it benefits from an extended warranty of 5 to 7 years, you can still lose money waiting for reparator to come to fix it while it is leaking.
Therefore, it is more than beneficial for you to conduct simple checks to be sure that your boiler is performing well. A simple glance can help you save a lot of money. Indeed, if your boiler has defected, you will use more energy than usual to counter its weakness, making it more expensive for you and also bad for the environment because you use energy that could be saved instead.
Thus, GreenMatch decided to give you some tips regarding how you can save money by conducting simple verifications on your domestic boiler.
What Are the Main Problems that Could Arise?
Nowadays, the major type of boiler on the market is the condensing one. It can be a combi boiler or a system boiler. Those new types of boilers are 10 to 20% more efficient than previous ones, however, they tend to have a higher risk to freeze in cold temperatures.
The obvious sign showing that your boiler is not performing well is that your boiler does not heat water anymore. But before coming to this point, you could:
- Check the colour of the flame: it has to be blue. If the flame is orange or yellow, your boiler is not performing well and you should call your boiler supplier or check if you can repair it yourself if your warranty is expired.
- Verify your boiler pressure. If it is dropping or rising significantly, it means that your boiler is not performing well. Similarly, a constant high pressure could also show that your boiler is experiencing some difficulties.
- Unfamiliar noises such as clicking or ticking noises when your boiler starts? This means that you should definitely have a look at your boiler, something is wrong there!
- Finally, if you see on your energy bill that your boiler is using more energy than usual, considering the weather, it means that its efficiency is decreasing and that you should check to replace the defective part(s) or invest in a new model.
5 DIY Tips to Repairing your Domestic Boiler
- To prevent your boiler from freezing, you can set a low permanent temperature to keep it working during the winter period if you’re not often at your place. It will cost you a bit more on your energy bill but will prevent a reparation in case your boiler breaks down.
- If you happen to have a frozen pipe, pour hot water on it or just put a hot water bottle on it. When you think the water inside the tube is at its liquid state again, restart the thermostat.
- Sign up for a boiler cover. You can find different types of covers, according to your needs and the model of your boiler.
- Ensure that your boiler thermostat is not higher than 60°C to 65°C, and is around 18°C in your bedroom. Indeed, you do not need your bedroom to be heated as your living room, as you have a blanket and pyjamas to warm you!
- If you have a planning option, use it to define when your boiler should start heating your place before you come home and when it should stop before you go to bed. By decreasing your thermostat by 1°C you could save up to £60 pounds a year.
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