It might well feel like it’s been a long winter with cold weather and dark nights, but it’s official! Spring has sprung, blossom is blooming, and daffodils are bursting through with the promise of sunny days just round the corner. Although with frosty nights forecast for the end of this week, you might not think spring is really here just yet. But with lighter nights on the way as the clocks spring forward this coming weekend and we enter British Summer Time, we want to take a look at how you can prepare your oil fired central heating system for the forthcoming warmer months.
Taking care of your boiler and heating oil tank in the warmer months is essential for ensuring your system is in good shape when you need it most in the cooler autumn and winter months, so in this blog we’ll give you some summer maintenance advice to help you keep your heating oil boiler and tank in tip-top condition.
Reward your boiler
Your boiler works hard to look after you and your family, keeping your home cozy throughout the winter months. And whilst the thought of having your boiler serviced in the summer months is probably the last thing on your mind, it’s a great time to get it serviced and prepare ahead for when it’s time to turn it back on. So while it’s having a well-deserved rest in the warmer months, having your boiler serviced in the summer months will ensure it's operating safely and functioning properly all year round.
Here are three great reasons to service your domestic heating oil boiler in the spring or summer months:
Convenience
Your boiler will need to be switched off before your engineer can service it to allow components to cool down. In summertime, your oil fired central heating isn’t typically needed so its more convenient to switch off your boiler than in the cold, winter months.
Better availability of heating oil engineers
You may well find it more difficult to find an engineer in the winter months, and waiting times will most likely be longer. In the winter months, engineers have to prioritise their time – emergency boiler repairs will come first from autumn onwards and there’s often a surge in boiler issues in autumn as more people switch on their oil heating systems for the first time in months. Although, we would always recommend you turn on your heating every couple of weeks if only for a hour to keep everything ticking over and to avoid pipes freezing.
We would always recommend you have an annual boiler service, and always by an OFTEC registered oil heating engineer.
Early fault detection
Having your boiler serviced in the summer months will mean that your engineer can pick up on any potential problems or major faults that could lead to a boiler lockout or even a full breakdown when you’re using your domestic heating oil boiler at full capacity in the winter months. And it’s much better to get your boiler repaired in the summer when it’s warmer than in the winter when you might be left without heating, or have to rely on other expensive ways to temporarily heat your home.
And if you don’t use your boiler in the summer months, you could risk important parts of your boiler seizing due to lack of use.
Don’t forget that having your boiler serviced regularly can make it last longer so will almost certainly save you money in the long run. Boilers are expensive to replace, so looking after them can really pay off. It should come as no surprise that regularly maintained boilers tend to outlive those that are not serviced. Read our recent blog for 5 top tips for keeping your heating oil boiler in tip-top condition.
Keep topped up
With recent high fuel prices and the cost of living crisis, the temptation might be to run your heating oil tank down in readiness for the summer months. After all, most of us will switch our heating off completely, or just keep it ticking over to provide hot water, But as we all enjoy the warmer weather, one problem that comes with it is moisture.
Humidity increases in warmer weather and this can cause moisture, leading to a build-up of water in your oil tank; a build-up of condensation is one of the biggest threats to your home heating oil tank. It creates a breeding ground for bacteria and other microorganisms.
Leaving water in your tank will cause corrosion which can then result in more problems which can result in a decline of your oil central heating system’s efficiency due to your tank corroding from the inside out, as well as the corrosion of burner components, filters and fuel lines.
Whilst it may feel strange to be thinking about home heating oil when the weather is warm, keeping your tank topped up is the best way to prevent condensation and the problems it can cause – the more empty space there is in your tank, the more condensation can form. This is especially important over the spring and summer months as fluctuations in outside air temperature can speed up condensation accumulation. And don't forget that heating oil additives can help keep your fuel at it's best and extend the lifespan of your tank.
Keep a check on your heating oil tank
It’s really good practice to ensure your heating oil tank is in good condition throughout the year, and not just the warmer months. But during warmer weather, any damage or weak spots are likely to be more visible, and as such, much easier to identify. By regularly inspecting your tank and giving it the once over, it can help you spot potential problems such as heating oil leaks before they become a major issue.
Get to know your heating oil tank – and then it’ll be easier to identify any changes in its condition moving forward. Look out for any signs of wear and tear, any bulging, splits or cracks, and any unusual smell of oil. It would also be advised to check for water in your oil tank.
Of course, if you need a new heating oil tank, spring and early summer are the best times of the year to install one, when your heating won’t be on as much.
It you have any concerns, we would recommend you contact an OFTEC registered oil heating engineer who will check for damage, and inspect your pipe connections to ensure they are clean and secure. And our recent blog gives you all the do’s and don’ts relating to heating oil tank regulations.
Protect your fuel
Spring time is a great time to plant shrubs and bushes to protect your heating oil tank from prying eyes, although you need to remember your driver and heating oil engineer will need to be able to access the area.
Obscuring your tank with trellising, installing an oil tank monitor with an audible alarm, flood lighting and/or a CCTV camera can all help prevent oil tank theft. Our blog on how to avoid heating oil theft gives further help and advice.
We hope you find these tips useful, but we're always here on hand to help. If you'd like to have a chat with us, please just pick up the phone and give us a call on 01423 770 666.