Central Heating Service

More organizations and local groups are making the effort to raise awareness on the importance of doing a regular central heating service. The dangers of unchecked gas appliances cannot be underestimated. There are also steps that a homeowner can make to maintain their central heating and help ensure it is running safely and efficiently. A central heating system typically includes a boiler, pipes, radiators and controls, and sometimes, a hot water storage cylinder or separate pump. Here are some central heating service tips: Bleed your radiators regularly. Bleeding the radiators will remove pockets of trapped air that are taking up space that hot water should be using. This results to cold spots in the radiators that will cause it to not heat properly. Learn how to do this here. Regularly check the pipes. The pipes take a lot of strain from the pressure. Make it a habit to check the pipes and look for leaks. Be aware of the sound coming from the system. Clanking sounds can be a sign that the boiler is kettling, which means that there might be limescale build up in the heat exchangers causing the water to become too hot. Read more about what to do when you have a noisy boiler. Check the water tank.  Water tanks that are tucked away in basements or lofts and it is not uncommon for them to be forgotten. It is important that you check your water tank every few months for leaks, cracks or other irregularities. Prevent the pipes from freezing during cold weather. Extremely low temperatures can cause bursting or leaking of central heating pipes. You can insulate the...

How to Take Care of Your Boiler

Knowing how to take care of your boiler properly can benefit you in more ways than one. Boiler maintenance is important to prolong the life of your boiler. Getting a regular annual boiler service will help ensure that your boiler is in perfect working condition when you need it during the cold months. It also helps keep the efficiency of your boiler high, which in turn can help you save energy and money. Also, a boiler that is properly cared for is less likely to need frequent boiler repairs. (Read more about what to expect during a service, and its benefits.) However, there are things that you can do on a daily or regular basis to take care of your boiler and help ensure it is operating well. Here’s how to take care of your boiler properly: Do not cover your boiler. Keep the air vents open, as well as ventilation grilles, air bricks and outside flues. NEVER attempt to open the boiler cover. Only a trained and qualified gas safe registered engineer should do this. Schedule a repair if something is not working right. Use a damp cloth to wipe your boiler clean, then dry. Use petroleum jelly to remove scratches on the boiler’s body. Rub a small amount on the area where the scratch is, wipe the petroleum jelly off and then buff it using dry cloth to shine. During hot months, run your heating system once a month for about 15 minutes. This will help keep your boiler running efficiently, and avoid getting clogged. This way, the moving parts are in order for when you need your...

Boiler Help

You have probably found yourself in a situation – more than once – where you need boiler help. And if this happened during the cold months, the situation is probably dire as you need heating and hot water as soon as possible. (Read more about what to do if your boiler has no hot water or no heat) Where to get proper boiler help Whether you need a boiler repair or a boiler service, it is important that you only get a qualified engineer to look at your boiler. (Learn about what’s included in a boiler checklist) This also includes other works such as boiler installation. A qualified engineer means a gas safe registered engineer who is trained and certified using government regulated standards. You can check if your engineer is gas safe registered using our tips here. By hiring only trained and qualified engineers, you can assure yourself that the repairs and services are properly carried out, and you and your family are not at risking your health or safety. What you can do Most common boiler problems are caused by small glitches that you can fix yourself. Some common issues include: noisy boiler leaking low pressure frozen condensate pipe cold spots in the radiator pilot light problems Before calling for boiler help, you can save some money from the repair costs by checking a few things yourself. Power supply – Always check the power supply to make sure that your boiler is plugged in. As silly as this may sound, this is an easily overlooked issue that certainly does not need an engineer to fix. Remember that...

Boiler Maintenance Guide

Whether you had a new boiler installation or an old boiler at home, you will find a good boiler maintenance guide useful. Buying a new boiler is not cheap, and because it is an investment, it important that you take care of it properly. Boiler repairs can be both costly and inconvenient. It is better to continually make sure it is operating properly than to spend a fortune on repairs or a higher energy bill because of an inefficient boiler. Boiler Maintenance Guide: The Most Important Tip The most important thing to remember about boilers is that they are machines, and just like your car or other appliances, they need to be serviced regularly. A boiler service must be done at least once a year. The service must only be carried out by a gas safe registered engineer. The engineer will ensure that your boiler is in perfect running condition by: testing that all components are functioning accordingly cleaning and inspecting all pipes and parts replacing all parts that are not working or worn out Boiler Maintenance Guide: Basic Tips Here are more tips for your boiler maintenance: Keep the manual. The user’s manual or manufacturer’s manual that came with the boiler is an important tool in case you boiler breaks. Usually, manufacturers will outline basic ways to troubleshoot common boiler problems, detail certain parts of the boiler, or even offer explanations to boiler jargon. Keep your boiler manual where you can easily access it if needed. If you’ve lost the manual, you can call your manufacturer. Many companies have made their manuals available online too. Just make sure you...

MagnaClean Installation

Are you thinking about getting a MagnaClean installation? Find out more here.   What is a MagnaClean filter? A MagnaClean filter is a device that can be installed on a heating system’s return pipework. The filter can help prevent sludge build up, hence eliminating future needs for power flushing. Corrosion produces a black sludge of iron oxide in untreated heating systems. This sludge is slowly and gradually deposited over time in your boiler’s heat exchanges, pumps, valves, the low lying parts of the heating system and the middle part of the radiators.The build up decreases the efficiency of your boiler, costing more power to run the system and eventually very poor performance that cannot heat the rooms properly anymore. Getting a MagnaClean installation can prevent this.   How does it work? MagnaClean is simply a filtration system for your central heating system. The MagnaClean filter is an inline capsule device that uses a strong magnetic shaft. The water that is going back to the boiler passes through the magnet. The device attracts all ferro- magnetic debris including iron oxides. The capsule acts as a catching device for the debris enters the boiler, preventing corrosion and damage. This water treatment device can be fitted anywhere in your system, but preferably closer to the boiler where the water returns.   When is the best time to do a MagnaClean installation? Typically, MagnaClean installation is done during new boiler installation, or even the installation of a full heating system. However, the filter can also be installed to existing boiler systems after doing a power flush.   Is there a need for maintenance? Yes, a...

Boiler Explosion

Have you ever heard of boiler explosion? Find out if you are at risk   What is boiler explosion? A boiler explosion is the sudden, total and unrecoverable failure of a boiler. There are mainly two types of explosion of boilers. The first type is the failure if the parts of the steam and water sides. This type of explosion can be caused by many factors such as corrosion, low water level or failure of the safety valve. The second type is explosion of air or fuel in the boiler or furnace. This type is commonly called firebox explosion. This is more common in oil- or gas- fired boilers and can be hazardous.   What causes boiler explosions? There are generally three things that can cause an explosion in your boiler system: weak shell or other boiler parts over pressure over heating Explosions most often happen because a part or parts of the boiler is too weak to take the pressure from the boiler. On the other hand, firebox explosions usually happen after an extinction of flames from the burner. Over time, fuel such as natural gas, oil fumes, propane or coal can build up in the combustion chamber. These fuels will volatize quickly due to the high temperature in the vessel. After a burner flameout or the extinction of flames, the fuels will become a source of ignition, causing an explosion of the vapors. What happens if a boiler explodes? Fuel explosions can cause damage to the boiler tubes and interior shells, and can trigger failure of the structure, leaks, a secondary shell failure or steam explosion. A...