How to Keep Your Central Heating in Good Condition

While central heating systems can be relatively low maintenance, there are some very simple ways you can make sure it stays in excellent conditions. By periodically checking a few things, you can ensure your boiler is working safely and efficiently, rather than leaving it to break down in the future.

Lag your pipes for the winter

When the temperature drops in the winter, your pipes can freeze. This stops your central heating from working correctly and it can also cause your pipes to burst if the pressure becomes too high. To avoid this, lag your pipes with ready-made lagging. It can be brought cheaply online or at any DIY store and it offers years of protection.

Bleed your radiators 

If your radiators don't seem to be heating up quickly enough, or if they feel like they have cold spots in them, you should bleed them to remove the trapped air. This is a simple process that just requires a radiator key, available online or in DIY shops for a few pounds. Bleeding your radiators should remove any cold spots.

Check your boiler pressure

If your boiler is running correctly, the pressure gauge should read between 1 and 1.5. If this isn't the case, you may need to top it up using instructions from your manufacturer. If it regularly seems to dip too low, it could be an internal problem with your boiler that needs checking out by a gas engineer, so don't hesitate to get in touch.

Ensure your pilot light is blue

If your boiler is a gas boiler, you need to keep an eye on your pilot light from time to time. Ideally, the light will be a strong blue- as this indicates everything is running as it should. If the flame is yellow, it means there is an issue with your gas supply and carbon monoxide could potentially be leaking. If this is the case, you should call out a gas engineer for an emergency repair or service.

Test your alarms

Your home probably already has several smoke alarms, but you should also have a carbon monoxide alarm placed near your boiler. Carbon monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas, making it very hard to detect a leak, but it is also fatal if too much is breathed in. At around £20-£25, a carbon monoxide alarm could be the difference between life and death if your boiler ever did leak. As well as actually having the alarms, it is important you regularly test them to check they are work.

Central heating services across Hull

We offer a range of home heating services, covering Kingswood, Hull, Beverley, Cottingham, Driffield, Hornsea, Market Weighton, Hessle, East Yorkshire Villages and North Lincolnshire. For more information, give us a call on 07930 367637, email us at kingstongasservices@icloud.com, or fill out the contact form on our website.