The advent of cooler days, longer nights and falling leaves means we are tip-toeing reluctantly but inexorably into Autumn. With the onset of falling temperatures, thoughts will inevitably turn to staying warm and comfortable indoors, and turning the heating back on after its well-deserved summer lay off.
With the best part of 3 or 4 months of inactivity it is not ideal to just switch the boiler straight back on – now is the ideal time to perform checks and fix any problems before serious winter weather arrives and the heating become indispensible.
Gradually switch on
Firing up the boiler once or twice a month, even when not using it fully is beneficial. Switching the boiler on will help with the following:
- Detecting problems with the system before you start using the boiler regularly
- Help prevent the build-up of dust, grime and any foreign bodies
- Help prevent corrosion in the pipe work which can lead to potential blockages
If you can get through September without using the heating, then now is the best time to fire it up to help make the off/on transition easier.
Perform a service
Scheduling a boiler service for the end of summer is ideal as it will help to highlight any issues that have occurred as a result of having the boiler turned off for summer. Our boiler engineers are all Gas Safe registered. You’ll receive a thorough and professional service. And booking an appointment early means that you can beat the usual winter rush safe in the knowledge you’ll have no problems throughout the colder months.
Boilers are most likely to go wrong during winter when they are used daily so getting them fixed or serviced beforehand will save a lot of potential heartache. It is worth noting that the average boiler lifespan is around 10 years, after which time, professionals may recommend a replacement. This will be due to a reduction in energy efficiency, availability of spare parts, as well as diminishing general reliability.
Bleed radiators
Bleeding the radiators refers to the process of draining them of any unwanted air which could cause them to work less efficiently. A tell-tale sign that this could be a problem is if the radiators heat unevenlyor are noisyafter being switched on.
To bleed your radiators, perform the following steps:
- Turn the heating off after getting the radiator warm
- Using a radiator bleed key, insert the key into the radiator bleed valve and turn it anti-clockwise
- Any excess air should be heard being released
- When water is released through the bleed valve, all the air has been expelled
- Close the valve, have a towel handy to catch any excess water and clean up
- Turn the heating back on and check the pressure gauge on the boiler
- Top up the system if necessary
Don’t turn the heat up too quickly
It can be tempting to crank the heat up as soon as the cold starts to bite, but doing this could mean setting the temperature higher than necessary, which will mean wasted energy and money. Turn the heating up one degree at a time – generally the thermostat should be set at a temperature you feel comfortable at – for most households this is between 18 and 21 degrees Celsius.
It is also important to remember that turning the thermostat up won’t make your home heat up any faster, it will just reach a higher temperature.
Take heed
Following these few simple steps should ensure that your heating system will run through the cold winter months without having to endure any unnecessary breakdowns and subsequent central heating repairs. Of course to be really sure, book in a service with one of our heating engineers and we’ll take care of it for you.
