Winter has wonderful things such as beautiful snowy landscapes, sitting next to a roaring fire or even wearing your pyjamas as soon as you get home from work. However, it can also bring you one of the worst nightmares of any cosy house: a broken down boiler.
SAFETY COMES FIRST
Not being able to warm up your home or to use hot water for days can be really annoying, but these are not the most important drawbacks set by a defective heating system. A faulty boiler can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, a frightening occurrence that according to the NHS takes dozens of lives every year in England alone, with hundreds of people paying a visit to the hospital. Dirty intakes, inadequate ventilation, patches of corrosion or simply old, unattended appliances that don’t meet modern gas safety standards usually explain this kind of domestic accidents.
Please, make sure you have a carbon monoxide alarm installed at home. This gas is often called the ‘silent killer’ as it is odourless, colourless and non- irritating. It is a legal requirement for landlords in the UK to have one of these devices working on their rented properties.
BOILER SERVICES SAVE YOU MONEY
Leaving all the scary stuff aside we should talk about costs as well. According to the experts, servicing our boilers will benefit our pockets in two different ways. An appliance that has been inspected, cleaned and tuned is as efficient as it was design to be bringing down your gas consumption and your monthly bills.
On the other hand, a professional inspection will allow you to be aware of a possible minor or major problems that have occured, which having passed for longer periods of time could cost you hundreds of pounds on a new boiler repair. Not to mention the chilly, long wait.
WHEN SHOULD YOU GET A SERVICE FOR YOUR BOILER?
Engineers and manufacturers agree on getting your boiler checked by a professional once a year. This will help, as already mentioned, to avoid or minimize failures. The best time, they say, to pick up the phone is during summer. By doing so you will not be only getting things ready for the following winter but also choosing the time of the year when engineers are less busy. At However, at Elgar Services you can call us at any point throughout the year and we will be more then happy to carry out you boiler service in Worcester for the date which suits you best.
WHO SHOULD YOU CALL TO SERVICE YOUR BOILER?
Do not try to service your boiler yourself, even if you have watched countless of DIY videos on YouTube. Only a fully- qualified heating engineer must service your boiler.
For a gas boiler, the only person qualified to do the job is a Gas Safe Registered engineer. Luckily at Elgar services we are fully gas safe qualified for any gas boiler services or other Worcester gas engineer requirement In the case of an oil boiler -typically for households that do not have access to the mains gas grid- it must be serviced by an OFTEC registered engineer which we are also qualified for.
HOW MUCH DOES A ONE-OFF REPAIR COST?
The boiler repair cost will depend on the particular problem itself. In general, we are talking about a £200 pounds headache, spanning from £175 for a new heating pump to £300 for a magnetic filter installation. This is without taking into consideration the nuisance of a long wait ahead of you to get your engineer home. So don’t leave yourself vulnerable to this sort of situation, instead get your boiler service sorted out early on!
HOW MUCH DOES A NEW BOILER COST?
Short answer: thousands of pounds. Expect to pay between £1,750 – £4,000 to replace your old boiler for a new one including the boiler installation. Even more if you choose a premium heating system.
IS GETTING MY BOILER INSURED A GOOD IDEA?
An annual servicing contract can be slightly more expensive than an unexpected repair. Still, many homeowners prefer the peace of mind of having a very expensive appliance covered, especially if radiators are included on the agreement or your boiler is very old (more than ten years old). Check this possibility with your home insurance if this idea tempts you.
