You may one of the many people who fail to get their gas boiler serviced. Well this is just pure madness. You might just think of the boiler as a box in your cupboard but it does a very important job and poorly maintained boilers can do a lot of damage. There are parts within the boiler which need to work in harmony and without an annual boiler service some of these parts may fail and cause you a much larger cost to your family and pocket.
Here are some nasty facts which might convince you to get your boiler checked annually.
Fact 1: Every year many people die from Carbon Monoxide poisoning which is caused by incorrectly installed and maintained gas appliances. Many others people also suffer from ill health.
Fact 2: 50% of people don't know what the warning signs of Carbon Monoxide poisoning are.
Fact 3: Almost 100% of people would not consider flu-like symptoms' to be anything else.
Fact 4: Carbon Monoxide is absorbed by the blood 240 times more easily than Oxygen.
There are things like heat exchangers, burners, thermostats, gas valves combustion fan, seals (gas and water) and Ignition systems which without maintaining properly can go wrong. The thermostat is what keeps the water at the right temperature, by opening or closing the gas valve which feeds the gas to the main burner.
An annual boiler service should include checks to the flue ways and terminals, ventilation provision, ensuring the gas pressure and heat input is correct. The entire boiler components need to be checked and including all safely devices. A performance check should be carried out and all visible pipe work and controls checked. Radiators need to be checked and the expansion tank and any associated components. Finally a good engineer will give you advice on hour to use the controls on your system to make if run more efficiently.
So protect your family and prolong the life by getting your boiler serviced. Ensure you get it serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer as this means they are qualified and experienced to do the job safely and properly. Some companies offer a plans where you pay for say 4 services but get 5 over 5 years. That way your service is booked for the next 5 years which will give you piece of mind. This is surely a great way to keep your boiler running efficiently and to ensure you or your family don't join the statistics on carbon monoxide poisoning.