Every autumn, heating engineers across Crewe and Nantwich get a surge of calls from homeowners whose boilers have stopped working as the colder weather arrives.
In many cases, a simple annual service would have caught the problem months earlier at a fraction of the cost.
Boiler servicing is one of those jobs that is easy to avoid. The boiler is working, so why spend the money?
Here is what a Gas Safe registered engineer does during a service, and why skipping it is rarely the saving it appears to be.
What a boiler service involves
A proper boiler service is not just a visual check.
The engineer inspects the heat exchanger for signs of cracking or sooting, checks the burner pressure and flue gas readings, tests the ignition, inspects the condensate trap and pipework, checks all seals and gaskets, and verifies that the flue is drawing correctly and not leaking combustion gases back into the property.
It is this last point that matters most from a safety perspective.
Carbon monoxide is odourless and colourless, and a cracked heat exchanger or poorly drawing flue can allow it to enter the home without any obvious warning sign.
The warranty and insurance implications
Most boiler manufacturers require annual servicing to keep the warranty valid.
Skip a year and you may find a breakdown or parts failure is no longer covered, even if the boiler is only two or three years old.
The same applies to some home insurance policies, which include clauses requiring heating systems to be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
It is worth checking your boiler documentation and insurance to understand what is required.
Efficiency and running costs
A boiler that has not been serviced regularly will gradually lose efficiency as components wear and combustion performance drifts.
This means it burns more gas to produce the same amount of heat, something that shows up on your energy bills rather than as an obvious fault.
A service also gives an engineer the opportunity to spot early warning signs – a worn pump, a failing pressure relief valve, early-stage corrosion in the system – before they develop into a full breakdown.
Catching these at a service is almost always cheaper than an emergency call-out.
When to book
Late summer – July to September – is the best time to book a boiler service in the Nantwich and Crewe area.
Engineers are less busy than in autumn and winter, appointments are easier to get, and issues identified can be resolved before your heating is needed in earnest.
Leaving it until October or November means competing with every other homeowner who has had the same idea.
Prof Heat Services is a Gas Safe registered heating engineer (licence number 649322) based in Crewe, covering Nantwich and the surrounding area.
For more information on boiler servicing in Crewe and Nantwich, or to book an appointment, visit profheatservices.co.uk or call 07498 282397.
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