Curious to know all the basics of a boiler service? Here, we’ll explain what a boiler service is, why it’s important and how often you should have your boiler serviced, as well as other important factors.
Boiler Servicing
Put simply a boiler service involves a qualified heating engineer inspecting your boiler to confirm that it is both safe and in correct working order.
The average price of a boiler service is not that much with it likely falling between £50 and £100. The exact cost will depend on the type of boiler you have and the whereabouts in the UK since labor prices differ from region to region.
It takes between 1.5 hours and 2 hours to have a boiler serviced although the cost and time involved could be greater if, for example, repair work is needed.
Generally, a boiler service would involve:
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Looking for signs of leaks and corrosion
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Checking the boiler flame
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Inspecting the inner components of the boiler
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Checking for blockages in the flue terminals
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Making sure the gas pressure is as it should be
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Firing up your boiler to check its operational levels and quality
The exact process can differ, but it will broadly speaking involve the aforementioned steps. At the end of the process, hopefully everything will be proven okay with your boiler. If not, the heating engineer may need to perform some work or/and they’ll describe what jobs need to be undertaken to get your boiler to the right operational levels.
In rare cases, safety concerns may be brought up such that you may be told to keep your boiler off until an issue is fixed. This is thankfully not the most likely outcome.
Why You Need to Have Your Boiler Serviced
You should have your boiler serviced once a year (more specifically within twelve months of the previous servicing, so not necessarily at any time in the calendar year). This is not actually a legal requirement in most cases (although it is different for landlords). However, it is still highly advised to do so for safety reasons.
A boiler service is important because:
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It can spot safety issues such as a carbon monoxide leak or more likely the risk of one occurring in the future*
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Service may be necessary to keep your boiler warranty valid
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Boiler servicing can prolong the life expectancy of your boiler and maintain good energy efficiency levels than would otherwise be the case
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Can catch problems early in general and this could save you money in the long run
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It will likely prolong the time before you’ll need to splash out on a replacement boiler installation which often costs several thousand pounds
*Carbon monoxide leaks can be highly dangerous. Approximately fifty people die each year from carbon monoxide poisoning in the UK while a further 4,000 are hospitalized. The thing about carbon monoxide is that it is invisible and odorless, which is why you should have several carbon monoxide alarms installed in your home whether or not you are having your boiler serviced as often as you should.
