Protect your home and your loved ones

Don't let your boiler let you down

Keep your boiler running efficiently

As a homeowner, it is vital that you have a regular boiler service at least once a year.  Faulty gas appliances in the home can result in carbon monoxide leakage, with potentially deadly consequences. An annual service by a Gas Safe Register engineer will not only keep your boiler running efficiently, helping to reduce your bills, but it could also save your life.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a poisonous gas that can be given off by appliances that burn fossil fuels such as gas, coal, wood or oil, if they’re not working properly. Poor combustion, a blocked flue, or insufficient ventilation, can cause flue spillage. Ensuring your boiler is properly serviced is vital; one of the biggest problems facing CO detection is that carbon monoxide gas is odourless, colourless and tasteless.

If left undetected, the effects of carbon monoxide on the human body are deadly. The gas prevents blood from transporting oxygen to the cells and organs, which can result in brain damage, paralysis or death. Government statistics indicate that around 20 people die each year, while the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reported in 2008/9 that over 180 incidents were reported due to carbon monoxide gas leaking from appliances in the home.

Unfortunately, early symptoms of carbon monoxide are rarely obvious, making them hard to detect. A regular boiler service is one way to safeguard yourself and your family against this danger. Servicing also greatly reduces the risk of a breakdown and helps extend the life of a boiler. It could cost far more to fix your boiler in an emergency than the price of a regular service. Whether you go for an annual service of your boiler or a boiler breakdown contract, by preparing ahead for the winter, you can ensure your home remains safe and your appliances run efficiently without risk to your friends and family.

The future of boiler servicing

In rented properties, legislation in the UK is very detailed when it comes to the requirements of safety checks. Annual boiler and gas safety inspections are required, undertaken by a certified Gas Safe Register engineer. However, in private residential properties, there is no law that requires these important checks. It is a personal responsibility that many homeowners overlook with potentially dangerous results.

Over the past 15 years, 58% of all deaths by carbon monoxide poisoning have happened in owner occupied homes. Mandatory annual boiler servicing could help prevent the associated health risks and helps ensure that every boiler is performing efficiently to avoid such dangers. Gas safety certificates should also be mandatory for every home, making homeowners aware of the installation date of each appliance so safety standards are easier to follow.

A regular, annual gas boiler service is not only essential to ensure that any issues developing are discovered and dealt with quickly and efficiently at less inconvenience to yourself, it is also essential for safety, energy efficiency, and ensuring you get the most out of the life of your boiler. In addition to an annual boiler service, we strongly advise the installation of a carbon monoxide detector, helping to alert any occupants to a possible carbon monoxide leak. These devices are designed to measure CO levels over time and sound an alarm before dangerous levels accumulate. This ensures people have adequate warning to safely ventilate the area or evacuate.

If you can, aim to book your boiler service in the summer months, as servicing companies are less likely to be busy with breakdown call-outs. The engineer will check the condition of the boiler, test for leaks, and ensure the gas pressure levels are normal and that all of the boiler’s valves and pumps are working efficiently. For most boilers, it is important to have flue gases analysed and the burner adjusted to check the boiler is working correctly. The engineer will also check that there is adequate ventilation and that the flue is clear to prevent any problems from occurring.

Whether it’s an annual service or a boiler cover contract you adopt (make sure your contract includes an annual service) it is your responsibility to ensure that the gas appliances in your home do not put your life or your families at risk.

For more information, call us today on 020 8722 7220 or visit our website www.h2oservices.com. 

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The true cost of a potential boiler breakdown

Are you protected?

Protect your wallet and your home

Without boiler breakdown cover, a lack of heating or hot water won’t be your only worries. Boiler breakdowns can be a huge inconvenience and expense.

Take a look at just some of the things that can go wrong and how you can ensure you’re protected.

• Call-out charges: Most companies will charge a call-out free for non-policy holders. This will differ for each supplier. Average charge: £75.00
• Labour charges: Charged by the hour. Based on an average job taking two hours. Average charge: £150.00

Average part prices:

• New boiler: To supply and install. Average price: £2,000.00
• Heat exchanger: A heat exchanger is a device built for efficient heat transfer from one medium to another. Average price: £350.00
• Printed circuit board: Modern boilers are controlled by electronics and the PCB is the brain of the boiler controlling all of its activities. When the PCB fails the boiler stops. This can be a major cause of problems as pipework leaks can often put water on the PCB leading to failure. Average price: £175.00
• Water pump: The central heating water pump circulates the water through the central heating system. The boiler may still produce hot water but the failure of the pump means that this water will not circulate and heat up the radiators. Average price: £100.00
• Flue fan: The flue fan expels exhaust gases through the flue. This is essential for your safety and ensures that waste gases do not build up within the boiler area. If this fails, the boiler’s control mechanisms will prevent it from operating. Average price: £150.00
• Gas burner: Your central heating boiler mixes gas and air at a regulated mixture to burn and heat the water in the most efficient manner. Average price: £150.00
• Expansion vessel:  The expansion vessel controls the pressure within the heating system. Heated water expands and would significantly increase the boiler internal pressure. The expansion vessel provides an outlet for this pressure and is an important part of modern boiler systems. Average price: £75.00
• Thermostat: The boiler’s internal thermostat is a secondary protection device monitoring the boiler internal temperature. If the external control thermostat fails this internal thermostat ensures the safe and effective operation of the boiler. Average price: £75.00
• Gas valve: The gas valve regulates the flow of gas to the burner. Average price: £150.00

As you can see from the charges above, depending on the problem you could be looking at over £1,500 in repairs and replacement parts.

Protecting your wallet and your home
In order to protect your home and your wallet from the damage of a broken boiler, it’s wise to invest in boiler breakdown cover. Sutton and East Surrey Water Services’ 365 Assured Classic Policy for central heating, for example, offers you the protection against such household emergencies from just 59p a day, including:

• Annual service of boiler and systems safety check
• Radiators and pipework repairs
• Replace irreparable standard pattern radiators and towel rails
• Standard domestic hot water cylinder
• Feed and expansion tank
• £500 contribution towards a new boiler, when required
• Same day call-out for heating emergencies if reported before 9pm
• Unlimited number of call-outs.

Plus with any of SESWS’s 365 Assured policies, you can benefit from a guaranteed response time, 24-hour free phone emergency helpline and all work is fully guaranteed. For more information, please visit http://www.h2oservices.com/ or call 020 8722 7004.