Protecting the heart of your home: why you need to look after your boiler

Protecting the heart of your home: why you need to look after your boiler

02 December 2019

We all know the importance of looking after our bodies, and keeping ourselves as healthy as we can. It’s always better to prevent, rather than treat illness, if it’s within your power. Well, the same goes for your home.

Although your home doesn’t get ill, it can become inefficient. This not only wastes energy and costs you more money, but it can also cause disruptions to the smooth running of your home.

So, how do we protect our homes from energy inefficiency? Let’s start with the heart.

In many ways, your boiler is the heart of your home. During these cold winter months, most of us rely on the comfort provided by our boilers. Without it running smoothly and efficiently, you can’t enjoy the benefits of a ‘healthy’ home. If looked after properly, your boiler could last for more than 15 years, so in order to make the most of it, you need to protect your boiler and keep it healthy.

Keeping your home energy efficient starts with protecting the heart of your home. Here’s how you can keep your boiler’s health in check:

Keep it cosy 

Inactivity can make your boiler seize up, so be sure to turn the heating on regularly. This is especially important in winter, when temperatures drop below zero. The pipes surrounding your boiler can freeze if the boiler isn’t turned on, which can cause your boiler to cut out, and will ultimately require repair. This isn’t the season to get caught out with a broken heater; turning the heating on during the colder months will prevent this.

Take a look

Leaks, cracks and soot are all signs that something isn’t quite right. Flames should be blue - never yellow or smoky. You may also want to check the pressure gauge on your boiler, and keep an eye out for any unusual changes to your boiler’s appearance or functionality.

Bleed your radiators

Your boiler is the heart of your home, and is interconnected with many other aspects of your energy usage. The efficiency of your radiators can really make a difference to the overall health of your boiler. Radiators can become inefficient when air bubbles get trapped in your heating system, and since air doesn’t conduct heat as well as water, the air bubbles cause your radiator to form cold patches. Bleeding your radiators is the process of removing these air bubbles, and doing this just a couple of times a year can keep your radiators and boiler running smoothly.

Get a health check

Having regular service checks by a trained engineer is one of the best things you can do to keep your boiler healthy and running efficiently. Alongside doing your own maintenance, it’s important to have a professional check that your boiler is safe with an annual service.