As autumn approaches and the final summer heat disappears amidst a flurry of chilly storms and blustery winds, many households are getting ready for winter.
For many, this includes switching the boiler they turned off at the end of spring back on, and whilst for most modern combi boilers that is a wholly unnecessary move that can cause more problems than it solves, it is easy to understand why people do it, particularly when every saving helps.
However, to avoid having to arrange an emergency call out with your gas engineer, it is important to make a few checks first before the big September switch-on.
Check You Have Had A Service
Gas boilers need an annual service, and the sooner before winter the easier it will be to get an appointment arranged.
It could potentially solve two problems at the same time, as you can check your boiler is working fine and potentially have them switch it on for you, avoiding any complications.
Do A Test Run In Mild Weather
Turn on your boiler and leave it running for around 15 minutes to allow it to circulate heat around the home.
Listen for any odd sounds, check the display for any error codes or flashing warning lights, and then go around each radiator, check they are turned on and run your hand over the metal panels to see if any of them need bleeding with a key.
Check The Gauges
If the boiler has been off for a while, the water pressure may not be as high as it needs to be. Make sure the needle is safely in the green zone, ideally between 1.3 and 1.8, but anywhere under three and above one will be perfectly safe.
Check your boiler’s instruction manual if you need to top up the boiler, but it can often be done with a simple pull of a flexible valve underneath your boiler.