Why a boiler service will cut your energy costs

With winter approaching, and the big increases in fuel bills, people are thinking about how to save money on their energy at home.

A new, more energy efficient boiler may not be on the cards for you at the moment. Okay, so how else can you ensure you are keeping the amount you’re paying each month to a minimum?

One answer, of course, is a boiler service. The efficiency of your boiler will fall over time as debris builds up in the system, for example. If the gunk is not flushed out, it can damage your boiler and your system.

What are the signs I need a boiler service?

Our advice is that an annual service is your best bet for keeping your boiler and system ticking over efficiently. Otherwise, there are a number of signs that your boiler isn’t working as it should

Your boiler is suddenly using much more gas – it only takes a couple of minutes each month to keep an eye on your bills but that time can save you some money.

• Energy bills can fluctuate month by month but have you seen a big jump in your gas bill? It could be your boiler
• You struggle to get hot water through the taps and heat in your radiators – this may be stating the obvious, but how many of us just put up with tepid water from the taps and radiators that take an age to heat up? These are telltale signs that your boiler needs looking at
• Hearing funny clunking sounds coming from your pipes and radiators? Chances are that your system needs a cleanse with a power flush. A regular service will help detect issues with your system too
• Your boiler is struggling to maintain pressure – it the pressure gauge keeps dropping below 1, then you have an issue, such as a leak in the system

What would the heating engineer do?

Whether it’s an annual service or a one-off service to look at one or more of the issues just mentioned, one of our Gas Safe-registered engineers would do the following

• Check the flue (the pipe from your boiler to the outside of your house) to make sure there are no obstructions in the flue terminals
• Remove, inspect and clean the main components in the boiler, such as the heat exchanger and flue ignition pins, to make sure they are doing their job and there are no defects
• Carry out a series of tests on various parts of the boiler, such as spark probe, heating controls, electrical wiring, pilot burner and the all-important safety devices
• Fire your boiler safely to identify any working faults, clean parts if necessary and produce a service report showing you everything our engineer has done

We recommend an annual boiler service for a number of reasons, including energy efficiency, but the checks will also keep you and the other members of your household safe.

Can I do anything to improve the efficiency of my boiler and system?

Yes, there are a few things you can do as a homeowner to make sure you are not spending any more on your energy than you need to. These are three good habits to get into

• Keep your boiler clean and dust free – prevent dust from settling on your boiler by giving its casing a clean. CAUTION: Don’t try to clean the inside of your boiler – that can be a risky task, so leave it to a registered heating engineer
• Top up your boiler’s pressure – a drop in pressure is very common, and it will reduce your boiler’s efficiency. So, check the gauge, which should read around 1.5 bar
• Bleed your radiators – yes, you’re doing more than releasing trapped air in the system. This simple task makes your radiators more heat efficient and less costly to run

To put it simply, an inefficient boiler will burn through more fuel, which hits you in the pocket.

Older boilers that have not had a service in years may be operating at efficiency levels as low as 60%! This means that for every £1 you spend on fuel, you’re wasting 40p’s worth. Tot that up over the winter months and that’s a fair few quid.

An annual boiler service with one of our Gas Safe-registered engineers makes sense if you want your boiler to continue running safely and smoothly.

Only three in 10 boilers serviced every year need a repair in their first six years, according to a Which? survey in 2021. This doubles to around six in 10 boilers when only serviced every two to five years.

So yes, spending a little on caring for your boiler now will save you a big headache further down the line.

Need help with your boiler or heating system? Contact us today