subject: How To Maintain Your Central Heating All Year Round [print this page] When it comes to central heating, most people appreciate the warmth in winter but its essential to keep it ticking over all year round. A little maintenance throughout the year will go a long way, so check out these useful tips:
Turn your heating on regularly
Check your heatings in tip-top condition, by turning it on at least once a month even through summer. This will ensure everythings working properly and will stop water from becoming stagnant in the tanks. If you spot a problem, call in a professional and have the issue resolved before the next chilly spell arrives itll all be worth it when the snow starts to fall.
Arrange an annual boiler service
As a homeowner, its your responsibility to arrange a boiler service once a year so dont forget. Simply call in a Gas Safe Register approved engineer and have all central heating devices looked over from top to bottom. A highly-trained professional will check everythings been installed properly and will examine the functionality of your devices making repairs when necessary. If youre worried about maintenance costs, take out boiler insurance cover with a company like HomeServe.
Report anything worrying
Unfortunately, central heating problems are common, so look out for anything unusual. This might be a banging noise in the system or a loss of heat in one of your rooms. Most issues can be dealt with quickly and easily, but its important to rule out airlocks and a limescale build-up as these can damage the system. If your boiler seems to have shutdown, seek help immediately as the cause needs to be identified.
Lag pipes
Before winter arrives, its a good idea to lag your pipes. This will keep the heat locked in and will stop them from freezing in harsh weather conditions. If your waterworks do become icy, they can expand and burst and this is not what you want amid the cold months. Whats more, fitting a British Standard jacket around your hot water cylinder could save you 40 a year according to the Energy Saving Trust, so take action today!
You may not turn your heating on much during the summer months, but its still a good idea to maintain the system ready for Jack Frost.
