Do I need my boiler serviced every year
- Posted by:
- Admin
- Tags:
- Boiler, Gas, Servicing, Boilers, Saftey
- Posted date:
- 10-11-2022
Do I need my boiler serviced every year? Find out more about the legal requirements of boiler servicing and boiler safety issues to be aware of
When Should You Service Your Boiler?
Service your Boiler Annually
The first and most important thing you should know when talking about servicing your boiler is ensuring that your boiler is serviced at least once every year.
An annual boiler service should be regular enough to keep your boiler in good quality condition. It will also limit the boiler's wear over time. Servicing any more than once a year is unnecessary in most situations, but it is not unheard of. Servicing your boiler annually is also important if you want to keep the warranty valid. Many providers will include a clause in their warranty detailing that the boiler must be serviced yearly.
In some cases, not servicing your boiler annually can leave your home insurance invalid, if a boiler problem does occur.
Get your boiler serviced when moving home.
Just having your boiler serviced once a year is not necessarily enough. You should also consider having your boiler serviced when you are moving into a new property.
If you are moving house, you do not always know when the boiler was last serviced. Having a boiler service done when you move will ensure that there are no unnecessary problems that have been left behind and not dealt with by the previous owner or tenant.
A service that takes place when you move property will also mean that you can confirm when the last service has taken place. This way, you can keep the boiler serviced annually afterwards.
Service during the Summer Months
As previously mentioned, you should be servicing your boiler once every year. Due to this, it is a smart idea to plan ahead and service your boiler during times of the year when the boiler engineers will be less busy.
If you have your boiler serviced during the summer months, you will have a much better chance of making an appointment sooner.
Encountering a problem with your boiler is a nightmare. Servicing the device in the summer will mean that you are not left with no heat in the winter months.
We recommend booking your service for either July or August, so you can ensure your boiler is ready to handle all the issues that winter can throw at it.
Get Inefficient Boilers serviced
Annual services should be enough to keep your boiler in the best condition possible, but if you haven't had your boiler serviced in a long time and it is beginning to work less efficiently, then it may be time for a service.
Boilers that don't run efficiently will cost you a lot of money. Extra energy is being used to produce the necessary heat. Having the appliance serviced should get the boiler back to being at least a little more efficient.
Servicing is also useful for identifying whether there are any bigger or more significant issues with your boiler.
Don't Wait Until You Have a Problem.
Finally, please do not wait until you encounter a problem before you book a boiler service.
It can be very tempting to avoid the servicing process if your boiler seems to be working as normal, thinking that there will be no benefit.
In actuality, even if your boiler is in perfect condition, there are problems that can build up over time. Waiting until your whole boiler stops working is more likely to mean paying high repair costs rather than just having the annual service.
Always get your boiler serviced yearly; do not wait until it is too late.
Boiler safety issues to be aware of
Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the biggest safety risks posed by a malfunctioning boiler. Around 26% of all deaths from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning across the UK between 1995 and 2019 were caused by faulty central heating boilers. While this is a very high number, the gas safety record for landlords and householders is thought to have led to a recent decrease in carbon monoxide-related hospitalisations and deaths.
It can be very difficult to know whether your boiler is leaking carbon monoxide or not. So it is very important to ensure a carbon monoxide alarm is installed somewhere nearby the boiler so you can identify any potential gas leaks. Also, regular boiler services will make sure that the necessary checks are carried out by trained professionals, which is vital for keeping residents and tenants safe.
For homeowners who do not rent out their property, having their boiler serviced annually is not a legal requirement. However, you will find that they have a duty of care to ensure their gas appliances are safe and not liable to cause any harm to either themselves or others. Annual services will also keep the boiler's warranty in valid form.
In order to make an informed decision about your boiler, you will need to know the following:
Why a boiler service is advisable, aside from all the legal implications- How much will the boiler service cost?
- What is included in the cost of a boiler service?
- What does a boiler service include?
- How long does a boiler service take?
- Do boilers need servicing every year?
Legal Requirements of Boiler Servicing
Any landlords that rent out their property are legally required to ensure their gas appliances and flues are serviced on a yearly basis. The servicing must be done by a certified Gas Safe heating engineer. Gas appliances that are provided by the property landlord for the tenant's use include boilers, gas stoves, and gas fires. All appliances and flues require both a visual inspection and prescribed tests. These are carried out to make sure that the appliances are working correctly, efficiently, and, most importantly, safely.
Manufacturer warranty
The majority of boiler manufacturers will require an annual boiler service in order to validate your boiler's warranty. For example, a Worcester brand boiler service should be carried out exactly to Worcester's manufacturing standards. A different boiler brand, such as Vaillant, will require the engineer to meet Vaillant's manufacturer's standards.
To ensure this all happens as described above, your engineer might need to access the boiler's operating manual. The manuals are usually available online if you no longer have a copy at hand.
The legal requirement for landlords
Aside from everything that has been described above, there are legal requirements if you are a landlord who requires a boiler service. For rental properties, it is a legal requirement for flues and gas appliances to be serviced once a year as part of an annual gas safety check.
The record of the annual gas safety check must be kept by the landlord, and another copy should be handed to the tenant. When a new tenancy begins, a new gas safety check should be gone through, and a copy of the gas safety record needs to be given to the new tenant. This will be helpful to ensure the new tenant's safety going forward in the property and future gas safety checks.
Norfolk Heating Services
If you require a boiler servicing in Norfolk, please contact our engineers today. We offer Gas Safe installations and repairs at affordable prices.