The team at Boiler on the Blink are never needed more than during winter. When it’s cold outside, people need warm homes and hot water to keep cosy and comfortable. Unfortunately, this is often the time when boilers break down, pipes freeze and the central heating system stops working. What many people don’t realise, though, is that there are a few simple steps you can take as a homeowner to help get your boiler ready for winter and reduce the risk of it breaking down.
Want to know more? Read on!
Check your boiler’s pressure
Checking the pressure of your boiler is quick, simple and can help prevent bigger problems occurring. Simply look for the pressure gauge on your boiler, which will show a green area and a needle indicating where the pressure is sitting. If your boiler’s pressure is correct, the needle will sit within the green areas somewhere between bars 1 and 1.5. If it’s higher than this your radiators probably need bleeding, if it’s lower, your boiler will need repressurising.
Arrange a boiler service
Arranging a boiler service is completely hassle-free to you, and can save you time, hassle and expense in the long-run. This is because a boiler service helps keep your boiler healthy and performing the best it can: exactly what you need in the winter months.
During a boiler service, your Gas Safe registered engineer will test and inspect all the main parts of your boiler to ensure they are working properly and safely. This is crucial for when the cold weather hits, as it stops problems being missed, which in turn leads to boiler breakdowns and a cold home!
Bleed your radiators
As mentioned above, bleeding your radiators may be necessary if the pressure in your boiler is too high. What you may have noticed if your radiators need bleeding though, is them not heating up properly. Radiators should become hot throughout when the thermostat kicks in. If they are only heating at the bottom or the heat is patchy, it may be that there is air trapped in them preventing the heat from circulating.
The good news is you can do this yourself, through the use of a radiator key. Afterwards you should see an improvement straight away in how your radiators heat.
Insulate your pipes
It’s easier than you might think to insulate your pipes, and doing so can help prevent them from freezing during the coldest months of the year. Simply buy foam lagging tubes from your local DIY store that fit around the external pipes connecting to your boiler.
Another way to help prevent frozen pipes is by leaving your heating on a low temperature when out. This shouldn’t alter your bills too much as you can set your thermostat to around 13 degrees, but will keep your system ticking over and your pipes in use.
Trusted boiler help in Ashford Kent
If you’d like to find out more about getting your boiler winter ready or wish to arrange one of our trusted boiler services, just get in touch. We cover the areas of Ashford, Romney Marsh, Tenterden, Folkestone and 15 miles beyond, and are always happy to help.
You can call us on 07768 618877, email us at info@theboilerengineer.co.uk or send a message via our online contact form.
