Summer’s here and as temperatures rise, central heating thermostats get turned down. Finally, after months of high energy bills, we're all breathing a sigh of relief as our boilers finally get a breather of their own.
It’s easy therefore to simply put your feet up in the garden and forget about your heating oil or LPG boiler. You won’t be needing it again until Autumn anyway, will you?
Well, would you believe that summer is in fact the ideal time to to give your boiler some much needed TLC? Because, if you look after your boiler, it will continue looking after you. In this blog, we'll explore the importance of making sure that your boiler is kept in tip-top condition over the summer months.
Don’t turn your heating off
If you’re not using your central heating, you might be tempted to simply turn your boiler off. However, we'd recommend you run your boiler for about 5 to 10 minutes every two to three weeks in the summer months. Doing this can help to prevent the components in your heating oil or LPG boiler seizing up, and also lets you check that everything is working as it should.
In addition to stopping moving parts from seizing up and not working by turning your heating on intermittently, it's worth noting that if a boiler is left to sit unused for too long, then dust, dirt and grime can build up, reducing heating efficiency as well as potentially leading to breakdowns later on when temperatures outside start to drop, and you crank up the heating once again.
It’s also worth a mention that when you do switch your boiler on for a short spell, you should turn up the thermostat to a high level. This is because it will help prevent the build-up of the sludge and dirt in your piping and radiators that could be hiding out of sight, and which might later lead to the need for a power flush to clean everything out.
It’s safe to say that turning your boiler on for just a few minutes at a time is a simple and relatively inexpensive way to help maintain it and work towards preventing costly repairs further down the line.
Book a summer service
Summer is arguably the best time of year to get your central heating oil or LPG boiler serviced. This might seem counterproductive as you’re not really making much use of it. But never has the phrase ‘prevention is better than cure’ been more appropriate.
There are a number of excellent reasons why summer is the right season to service your boiler. First, if your boiler does have any underlying problems, it will be best to find them and sort them when you’re not depending on it for heating your home. After all, your boiler will need to be turned off for an hour before your engineer can service it so it cools down, and if it needs to be turned off whilst waiting for parts, would you rather be without hot water and heating over summer or in the depths of winter?
Next, you’ll find booking a service engineer a much more relaxing experience as they tend to be less busy in the quieter warmer months. As anyone who’s called an engineer in December when they’re rushed off their feet fixing emergencies will testify. In fact, most engineers prioritise emergencies over services. Good news if you’re the one with the faulty boiler over winter, not so great if you’re trying to book your annual service in and have to go with a time that’s not convenient, as you’ve got little or no choice.
If you’ve got kids at school age, then the summer holidays are a great time to get your boiler serviced as the chances are you may be at home looking after them, so you won’t need to take time off work for a service appointment.
Another reason to favour summer over autumn and winter is that it might actually cost you less to have a service. Some companies give discounts as they’d rather arrange a boiler service when they’re less busy, as it ensures a nice steady workflow for their staff during quiet periods of the year.
Please remember that you need to have your boiler serviced once a year, or in accordance with the manufacturers instructions, by a qualified and registered heating engineer. In the case of an LPG boiler, they need to be Gas Safe registered, while for oil boilers, they need to be OFTEC registered. Not just to avoid costly breakdowns, but also as the service includes important safety checks for gas and carbon monoxide leaks.
There is also the fact that getting your boiler serviced ensures it doesn’t drop in efficiency which in turn would end up costing you more money as it would use more fuel to generate heat. In fact, would you believe that getting your boiler serviced can lower your yearly heating bill by as much as 10%! Finally, if your boiler is still under warranty, you will need a regular yearly service to ensure it remains valid.
Here at Northern Energy, we offer a boiler service scheme for complete peace of mind. You can rest assured that all our engineers are fully registered and you’ll receive a Service Safety Certificate in compliance with Building, Health and Safety and Landlords regulatory requirements. In addition, for our heating oil Premium Package or LPG package customers, we also provide emergency boiler breakdown cover as one of the many valuable benefits.
We hope after reading this blog, you’ll agree that servicing and maintaining oil and LPG boilers during the summer offers numerous benefits. It improves efficiency, enhances performance, ensures safety, prolongs the lifespan of the boiler, and minimizes unexpected breakdowns.
When scheduling a yearly service while it’s nice and warm outside, you can enjoy summer, secure in the knowledge that your boiler is in optimal condition and all ready for when the cold weather comes and it has to start earning its keep.
And while we’re here talking about things that are better to do over summer, it’s also the ideal time to top up your domestic heating oil tank. This is because prices are often lower this time of year as global demand is low, so prices fall accordingly. Just call us on 01423 770 666 for a quote, or you can read more about if it is a good time to buy your heating oil.