We don't give our boilers a great amount of thought, but they improve our quality of life daily. Although it isn't recommended for you to service your own boiler, there are things you can do to maintain your boiler, giving it longer lifespan and heating your home more efficiently. By doing this, you can prolong the life of your boiler significantly.
Keep in mind that a professional needs to service your boiler at least once a year. Call a heating engineer or plumber for a service, but continue with boiler maintenance throughout the year.
The Top 5 Tips
1. Put your boiler to the test
Before cold weather sets in, complete a test run to see whether your boiler is functioning efficiently. A test run for a boiler would entail turning it on and checking whether it is fully operational.
It's best to run your boiler for about half an hour and observe the following:
There isn't any leakage
No loud sounds can be heard
An output of heat is present
If you find any of these three factors missing, you need to call a professional to inspect your boiler. If there haven't been any issues, allow your boiler to cool down completely before continuing with the other maintenance tips.
2. Examine the pressure
It's recommended that you check the pressure gauge of your boiler regularly and it's best if the gauge shows pressure between 1 and 1.5.
If your boiler's pressure is higher or lower than that, call a professional for an inspection.
3. Look at the temperature
It is usual for a boiler to have some temperature controls that influence the thermostat, temperature of the boiler water, safety limits, and temperature of the circulating pump. If any of these seem out of the ordinary, it is best to call your heating engineer or plumber.
4. Turn it on once a month
It is best to switch your boiler on at least once a month, even during summer. This helps to establish whether it is running correctly. In addition to troubleshooting, you can eliminate debris or grit once a month and keep your boiler clean this way. So once a month, turn your boiler on for about 15 minutes.
5. Inspect the carbon monoxide detector
Although the odds of carbon monoxide poisoning are very low these days, it is a great idea to keep an eye on your carbon monoxide detector. Unfortunately, a damaged boiler can emit carbon monoxide. Therefore it is best to have at least one carbon monoxide detector or, ideally, a few. It is advised that you do this at least twice a