We all know that regular servicing is an important part of maintaining your household appliances, and this applies more than ever to your boiler. But what does good boiler servicing involve? Below is a guide to the type of processes which need to be carried out to ensure that your boiler is properly maintained.

  • Annual servicing is generally recommended to ensure the smooth running of household boilers. The professional doing the boiler service should be Gas Safe Registered (used to be CORGI certificate).
  • The plumber should firstly start with a visual check to ensure that the boiler, its installation and its positioning, comply with the rules laid out in building regulations, electrical regulations, gas-safety regulations, water by-laws, installation instructions and British Standards. They must all comply with current legislation.
  • The next part of the boiler service is the pre-service check. To do this the engineer will fire the boiler, check the its basic operation and identify any initial faults.
  • The boiler casing should then be removed (don’t do this yourself!). At this point the main components will be examined to see they are clean and free from damage. These components include the main burner, the main injector, the heat exchanger, condense trap, the spark centre probe and the seals and fans. Also part of this section of the boiler service is the checking of all electrics for overheating, the cleaning of all inside surfaces, inspecting all pipe work (water & gas) and joints, and very importantly, making sure the flue terminal is unobstructed.
  • Next, the plumber should check the gas valve with a flue gas analyser to make sure the boiler is combusting properly.
  • If any of these tests show a fault, the plumber should inform you of any additional costs that the repairs will incur. It is widely recommended that the parts are only replaced with those also made by the manufacturer of the boiler, to ensure that they’re compatible.
  • Next, the engineer should carry out a gas-tightness test to establish if there are any leaks in the system.
  • The casing of the boiler should then be carefully replaced.

A basic service will last around half an hour.

That’s it – your boiler service done and you can relax for another year!