7 reasons why you should have your gas boiler checked

Website design By BotEap.comIf you heat your home and hot water using a gas boiler, it is very important that you do annual maintenance on the boiler. I have listed 7 reasons why below.

Website design By BotEap.com1 Number one and most important of all is SECURITY. All gas boilers produce combustion products that are dispersed through a flue connected to the boiler. When the annual boiler service is carried out, the flue pipe is inspected and it is checked for product spills.

Website design By BotEap.comWe all know how dangerous carbon monoxide is, you can’t smell it or see it but it could be life threatening which is why the boiler chimney is a very important part of the boiler service.

Website design By BotEap.com2 When the annual service of the boiler is carried out, the engineer performs a combustion test using a gas analyzer, this will give a reading of how the boiler is burning gas, this is compared to the boilermaker’s technical specifications, if adjustments are needed, can be carried out.

Website design By BotEap.comMost gas boilers are now designed to be very efficient and save you money on your energy bills, but a gas boiler left out of service will eventually cost you more to operate and eventually a new boiler.

Website design By BotEap.com3 Many boilers are now high efficiency condensing boilers and produce condensation, this condensed water is acidic and needs to go to an internal drain if possible or an external drain and protected from cold weather.

Website design By BotEap.comInside the boiler there is a condensation trap, a bit like the one you have under the kitchen sink, it always has water in it, this trap needs to be cleaned and checked. The reason the condensate trap and pipe need to be checked is that it is part of the boiler flue, if there is a small leak inside the condensate trap or pipe it could leak carbon monoxide into the room where the boiler is located.

Website design By BotEap.com4 Many of today’s high-efficiency boilers run on high pressure, which basically means that the entire heating and hot water system is pressurized, known as a sealed system. The system is filled with water to around 1.2 bar via the incoming water mains. If it is necessary to increase the system pressure periodically, this indicates that there is a problem. Having to keep increasing the pressure is not good for the boiler, part of the boiler service is to check if the pressure has been dropping and find out why.

Website design By BotEap.com5 Every sealed and pressurized heating system has an expansion vessel installed; on most boilers these are installed internally, some are externally installed close to the boiler.

Website design By BotEap.comSo what is an expansion vessel and what does it do?

Website design By BotEap.comWhen you look inside a gas boiler, depending on the make and model, you will see a long flat type tank, it can be gray or red in color, it can also be located at the back of the boiler.

Website design By BotEap.comEvery time the boiler starts heating water or central heating, there is an expansion of the water. As the water heats up it begins to expand, this is where the expansion vessel comes into operation, which absorbs the expansion,

Website design By BotEap.comThe container is like a big sponge that absorbs the expansion. It is factory pressurized and set to the correct pressure for the boiler. Over time the vessel will deflate and will need to be readjusted, this is another very important part of servicing the boiler. With a non-functioning expansion vessel the boiler pressure may continue to drop, if it is left and not restored you may need to replace the boiler.

Website design By BotEap.com6 Many other tests are also carried out, these involve checking that the gas supply is the correct size for the boiler, ventilation is also checked if necessary, to make sure it is compliant. Generally checking the boiler for hidden faults and working as designed.

Website design By BotEap.com7 If your gas boiler has a guarantee, to maintain the validity of the guarantee, you must perform annual maintenance on the boiler. Only has registered engineer gas insurance who is registered in boilers can perform the service.

Website design By BotEap.comWhen your boiler was installed it came with a reference book, this book has a service history section and must be completed signed and dated when a service is performed. If you do not maintain your boiler you have no guarantee.

Website design By BotEap.comHaving an annual gas boiler service is totally up to you, there are no regulations yet, but SAFETY is the most important part of any boiler service.