Why it is Important to Service your Boiler

It is generally known that systems such as your domestic boiler require periodic service in order to keep them in good operating condition. There are several ways to ensure the maintenance is done on a fixed schedule, such as using the service interval time controls as a reminder mechanism

Over the last several years we have seen a major drive towards upgrading old boilers to new high efficiency boilers to save energy and reduce carbon emissions. Still, there was notably little focus put on the importance of regular boiler maintenance and central heating system servicing.

It important to ensure your domestic boiler and central heating system is kept in good condition through periodic servicing, which provides the following benefits:

* Ensure that the boiler delivers good output even at maximum load times. Good maintenance ensures the system is efficient and reliable throughout the year, and delivers good performance even in the coldest winter days.

* Ensure you abide by the law which requires the owner of the property to make sure the boiler and the heating system are in good operating order

Gas Regulation 36 (part of Gas Safety, Installation and Use) 1994 states:

*Owners of gas appliances must make sure that the appliances are kept in safe operating order that eliminates the risk of injury to people using the property. The owner has to make sure that the appliances are checked periodically every twelve months.

* Landlords must ensure that all gas fittings within the property are kept in safe condition which prevents the risk of injury to anybody using the property.

* Without predisposition to the above points, a landlord must make sure that all gas appliances (including the flues) are checked within twelve months from the point of installation and at periodic intervals of no more than twelve months apart (whether such check was done subject to these Regulations or not).

So far, it has proven to be difficult to enforce these Regulations where private households are involved. There are around 25 million private households in the UK and current evidence shows that they either forget to apply these regulations or simply delay the checks due to financial pressure. There is indication that the authorities are considering imposing penalties if neglect can be proved and which leads to accidents with damages and injuries.

There are automatic solutions that offer a reminder mechanism that flags when it is time for a periodic check or service. Some manufacturers offer a flag up reminder, while other manufacturers actually turn off the system if the service date has passed without the system being serviced. In such case the system flashes up a phone number for the local engineer.

Service Interval controls normally provide a period of warning before actually shutting down the system. During the warning period the tenants should arrange for a service call to be made for the boiler to be serviced.

According to the records by boiler servicing companies, calls for boiler servicing rise dramatically the closer it gets to the winter period, as systems are restarted after a long break for the summer. Using an automatic reminder for calling an engineer reduces scheduling crunches and un-serviced systems waiting for an engineer.