Is Your Heating Ready For Autumn?

As keen as you may be to hang onto summer, there’s no denying that the weather has become more autumnal since we entered September. This being said, we have seen widely varying temperatures in the past week and, with no signs of mother nature deciding on a season just yet, it’s important you take this opportunity to check your heating and prevent any problems that may arise as we transition into autumn.

As heating specialists based in Basingstoke, we know that turning your boiler back on in autumn (after not needing it in the summer months) is one of the most common times to experience boiler issues. So, take a read of our 5 simple steps to minimise the chances of things breaking down when you really need them!

10 minutes a day

While we appreciate how counter intuitive it may be now to turn your heating, having your boiler on for 10-15 minutes a day can be a huge benefit. As summer draws to a close it’s important to fire up your boiler daily to keep its working parts well… working! By doing so you’re also highlighting any potential issues your boiler may have with more than enough time to get them resolved.

At your service

It’s important to have your boiler serviced before you’re due to turn your heating back on full time. By conducting your boilers service before the cold weather kicks in, you’re ensuring all your serviceable parts and settings are checked, and action can be taken against any areas of concern before it’s too late.

Bleed your radiators

Did you know that the trapped air in radiators will compromise their performance throughout the winter, but will still cost you the same in terms of energy consumption? By bleeding your radiators periodically you’re able to check whether yours are damaged before you turn your heating back on. So, if you can’t think of anything worse than your radiators not evenly distributing their heat, especially when its freezing cold outside- give us a call today and speak to one of our experts about a radiator check.

External pipework

Our heating specialists know that pipes freezing when temperatures drop is no new phenomenon. But it’s important you check all your external pipework for signs of wear and tear and weak spots, to give you extra protection from the cold. We also recommend lagging your pipes to give them an increased chance of surviving the winter. Lagging is cheap and can be purchased from any DIY store, and without it there’s a good chance your frozen pipes can flood and cause boiler breakdowns. If you want any additional information on protecting your external pipework, call us today.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide poisoning is thankfully very rare, and we often tell our customers not to worry too much about it, providing all of your gas appliances are properly services by a Gas Safe engineer. However, that being said a blocked boiler flue can potentially put you at risk. So, having a CO monitor at home to alert you of any CO leak is imperative.

By taking the above precautions you’re not only minimising any autumn / winter boiler breakdowns but you’re also taking sensible precautions that help you save money in the long run. After all, who really wants to deal with a boiler emergency this side of summer, so close to Christmas?!