5 simple tips to make sure your boiler is ready for winter
Here in the UK, we are lucky to have relatively mild weather for most of the year. However, there are always cold snaps during winter when temperatures can drop lower than usual. Freezing temperatures can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. When temperatures drop below zero, you want to be sure that your house will stay warm and your boiler will continue to work as it should. This guide will help you to stay a step ahead of the weather and make sure your heating system is ready before it’s put to the test.
1. Get your boiler serviced
One of the best ways to ensure that your boiler is ready for winter is to check that it has recently been serviced by a trained engineer. A boiler service will help to keep your boiler in the best condition and keep it running as reliably and efficiently as possible, making sure it is ready for any weather.
Your engineer will be able to check the condition of parts and ensure that any worn or damaged parts are replaced long before they can become a risk, as well as cleaning components as required. This will optimise the performance and safety of your boiler.
2. Check your thermostats
A faulty thermostat can cause havoc with your room temperature. If the room thermostat has blown, it will not send a signal to the valve that allows the radiators to heat up and this could leave you in the cold. Alternatively, a thermostat that cannot read the room temperature could allow your home to get hotter and hotter. This can be very frustrating as you may only be able to have your home extremely warm or very cold.
To confirm a faulty thermostat, you should set the heating to ‘on’ at the timer, turn the boiler thermostat to minimum and see if the boiler switches off. If not, turn off the boiler’s time clock and check again. If the boiler fails to respond to the thermostat, it may not be working. If this is the case, it is recommended to seek assistance from a Gas Safe engineer.
3. Insulate the condensate pipe
One of the most common causes of boiler failure during winter is a frozen condensate pipe. This relatively common problem is the reason for a huge number of unnecessary call-outs, which could be costly for you.
Gas condensing boilers are very efficient because they reuse the heat present in the flue gases to heat more water, resulting in reduced gas usage. However, when this happens, the flue gases reduce in temperature from around 130 ℃ to 50 ℃. This massive reduction in temperature produces condensation that needs to be drained. VVery efficient boilers can produce as much as two litres of water per hour from condensation, and all this excess is drained via the condensate pipe. However, as these pipes are located outside of your home and the flow of water is quite slow, it can freeze over quite easily. This is most likely to occur at joints in the pipe or sections that are at quite a flat angle.
To stop your condensate pipe from freezing, we’d recommend that it is wrapped in insulation. This will prevent the water from getting cold enough to freeze over. A Gas Safe engineer will be able to do this for you the next time they come out to service your boiler.
4. Bleed your radiators
It’s very important to bleed your radiators when you first turn your heating on, and to ensure that this is done regularly thereafter. Your heating system can get a build up of air inside it and this is most common in older systems but also systems that haven’t been used for a long time.
This air rises above the water, collecting at the top of the radiator and continually building until it can be released. This is precisely what makes radiators hot at the bottom but cold at the top, and the problem can be more common if, like many people, you don’t run your heating during spring and summer.
Bleeding your radiators can ensure that your heating is as effective as possible, helping to keep you and your family comfortable. It can also help to save money by improving the efficiency of your system.
5. Check your boiler pressure
Another common cause of heating problems is low boiler pressure. This is typically caused by a reduction in the amount of water in the system, a common issue thanks to evaporation and one that means you have to repressurise the system a couple of times a year. However, if you’re having to do it more frequently than this, we’d advise that you have the boiler serviced to check there isn’t a bigger problem, like a leak.
Your boiler pressure will typically be around one to 1.5 bar when the system is cold. This is usually indicated on the pressure gauge by a green zone. If you find that the gauge is showing 0.5 bar or less, you will need to repressurise the system. Find out how to do this in our guide to repressurising your boiler.
How to prepare your home for winter
As well as getting your boiler ready for the cold weather, there are some maintenance tasks that you may want to do to your home, too. Below, you can find our recommended five actions to keep your home functional and watertight before winter.
1. Clear your gutters
Your home needs gutters so that rainwater can be directed off the roof and drained away into a gutter without compromising your home. Blocked gutters can cause all sorts of problems, the main one being damp. No one wants a damp home in winter, so it’s really important to get your gutters cleaned.
If your home has lots of large trees located around it, it’s probably best to get someone out to clear your gutters once most of the leaves have dropped in mid to late autumn. If you do this task too early, more leaves will drop and block the newly cleaned drains, making it a wasted task.
2. Sweep your chimney
It’s likely that your fireplace hasn’t had a huge amount of use over the spring and summer months. But as the weather cools down, there’s nothing nicer than getting a few logs burning and snuggling up to watch a film. It’s a good idea to first have the chimney swept to remove any excess dirt. Cold weather can also cause damage to your chimney, which is why having it swept at the beginning of winter is a good idea.
3. Check window and door seals
In winter, you want to keep as much heat in your home as possible. It’s likely that you’ve had windows and doors open in summer or left on the latch. You should do a quick check of all your windows to make sure they’re fully closed. You should also check that the seals haven’t worn away or blown out as this could result in additional heat loss.
4. Repair the roof
Your roof should be checked for any damage prior to winter. A damaged roof could allow water to come into your home and create damp or mould. You could hire a professional to take a look at the roof and ensure that it’s in good condition and that there are no tiles that are damaged or missing altogether. Autumn is a time of year when the UK experiences high winds, and tiles can be lost completely.
5. Top up your oil tank
If you rely on oil to heat your home, it’s a good idea to check that the oil tank is topped up. When an oil boiler runs out of fuel, the system needs bleeding and this can be quite a process that could mean your heating is off a few days. To avoid this from happening, you should have the tank refilled in plenty of time. This could also result in cheaper fuel, as you’re avoiding peak time.
