The end of the summer is fast approaching, which means that long, balmy evenings will soon make way for cold and biting winds. With this in mind, it’s important to ensure that your boiler is ready for the harsh demands of the winter, as you don’t want to risk its breakdown and leave you with warmth or hot water when you need it the most. In this post, we’ll look at the steps you can take to prepare your boiler for the winter, whilst asking how Fletchers Plumbing & Heating can provide assistance.
Make Sure your Boiler has been serviced
Every boiler should be serviced annually, whether it’s just been installed or is approaching the end of its warranty period. Arguably, the best time to schedule your annual service is towards the end of the summer, and there are a couple of reasons for this. Firstly, this enables you to prepare your boiler ahead of the winter, as you have a full inspection and ensure that it can cope with the demands of the cold weather. Secondly, it may be easier to book an annual service at this time, as the demand for heating engineers is typically lower during the summer.
Insulate your Pipes
One of the biggest issues during the winter is frozen pipes, as the temperature plunges below zero and your entire heating system becomes blocked. Frozen pipes are more liable to break too, as water tends to expand when it turns into ice. Pipe insulation offers a simple and relatively low-cost solution to this issue, however, and one that adopts a proactive approach and minimises the risk of future plumbing emergencies. This can even improve the energy efficiency of your central heating system over time, so it may save you some much-needed cash!
Check your Pressure and Radiators
It’s also important to check your boiler’s pressure ahead of the winter as if this is too high or too low your unit may be due a repair. At the same time, you should inspect individual radiators for cold spots. When combined with higher-than-usual boiler pressure, this may mean that there’s trapped air in the system that needs to be released as soon as possible. To correct this issue, try bleeding the radiators by releasing any trapped air through their valves. This should restore functionality and lower the boiler’s pressure, although if it doesn’t work, we’d recommend that you call out a heating engineer to take a look.
Why Call on Fletchers Plumbing & Heating?
Whether you want to book your annual service or investigate a potential fault, the team at Fletchers Plumbing & Heating is well-placed to meet your needs. Based in Wellingborough and servicing a number of the surrounding areas, we have years of experience in the plumbing and heating industry, whilst our engineers are all Gas Safe registered and fully qualified to work in your home. If you’d like to learn more, give us a call today on 07919156562. Or, email us at fletchersheating@gmail.com and request your free quote in writing.