subject: Sheffield Plumber / Central Heating [print this page] http://www.leesboilerguide.co.uk http://www.leesboilerguide.co.uk
10 Frequently asked questions
1.What makes a good boiler?
These are the 3 main factors to consider: ease of installation, reliability and service friendliness. Valliant are a very good make as they are well designed.
2.Are combination (combi) boilers reliable?
They used not to be. Over the years manufactures have learned through trial and error how to make the boilers work better and more efficiently. Now they are very reliable and economical to run.
3.How long is a boiler installation guaranteed?
Generally 1 year. On top of that you will also receive the manufactures warrantee BUT you must have the boiler serviced annually to receive this.
4.Does a boiler change create much mess?
With every job there is always the potential to make a mess but as long as dust sheets are laid, the mess can be controlled and it can be tidied as you go along.
5.Why doesnt my boiler work?
The 3 most common reasons are:
1.Low system pressure, most commonly due to a leak in the system, or you may need to re-fill the system with water.
2.No ignition there are a number of reasons why this could be the cause you should seek expert advice about this.
3.No power something may have blown inside the boiler causing it to short circuit and a fuse to blow.
6.Why are my radiators cold
Check first that both valves are open and then check that there is no trapped air by bleeding the radiator with a radiator key. If this still doesnt work there may be sludge in the system or some kind of blockage your system may need cleaning to remove this.
7.Why is my boiler making a banging noise?
This could be down to sludge in the system which can cause restriction in the pipe work which slows the velocity of the water running through the boiler which causes the boiler to overheat which leads to boiler noise and banging.
8.Why do I get heating with my hot water?
The main cause of this is that one of the valves in the system starts to stick. This sends the water round the wrong way leading to your heating going on with your hot water.
9.Why does one radiator not get hot?
Firstly check that the valves are open on both sides, secondly check there is no air in the radiator by bleeding it with a radiator key. If this still doesnt help, there may be a blockage in that radiator or pipes leading to it in which case youll need to get an engineer out to take a look.
10.Why does the water run slowly from my tap?
Firstly check to see if all the taps are running slowly if they are all the same, it could be due to a problem in the boiler causing circulation problems causing water to not flow properly, if this is the case youll need to get an engineer to look at it. Sometimes however, it could be the individual tap in which case it might need replacing or new washers put on.
10 Question you should be asking
1.Is it important to get references?
Its always better to get a recommendation or reference from someone you know. If you dont know anyone who can recommend a plumber to you should always ask them for their Gas Safe I.D and certification upon completion.
2.How can I look after my central heating system?
Getting your boiler serviced annually is the best way to look after your boiler. This is similar to having your cars MOT and service, it allows it to run more efficiently and reduce the likelihood of it breaking down saving you money in the long run.
3.What makes a good boiler installation?
9 out of 10 faults on boilers are down to them not being installed properly. If a boiler is installer properly, fully flushed and fully commissioned, this will save potential breakdowns in future.
4.How much experience should a gas fitter have?
The more experience the better. A fitter with more experience will have dealt with more problems in the past so jobs tend to go more easily and better.
5.What is the most suitable heating system for me?
This can be worked out when taking the following into consideration:
1. Size of Property
2. Number of occupants
3. Customer preference.
e.g. a 1 bedroom flat may need a 24 kW/h boiler, a 3 bedroom house with a small family would more suit a 28 kW/h boiler and larger properties i.e. 6+ bedrooms may also need hot water storage.
6.How can I save spending money on gas?
A-rated boilers with A-rated controls are the most efficient on the market. Other than that you can make sure that you insulate exposed pipe work, have double glazed windows, cavity wall insulation and loft insulation all are designed to keep the heat in your home meaning you dont spend as much money producing heat which is lost and this saves you money on gas.
7.How can I check quotes are like for like?
Sometimes, when comparing quotes, one may be cheaper but the reason for this is unclear. At the bottom of the free guide there is a table which is designed to help you uncover any hidden costs. If you receive a quote with missing information, you can always print out the last page of the guide and ask the engineer to fill it in so that you get all the details.
8.Are large established companies actually better?
Large established companies generally have greater over heads (costs) which make the job more expensive. This does not mean that the job is going to be better in any way. Sole-traders have their own personal reputation to protect and customer service in some cases will be better.
9.Is the boiler installation going to be registered with building control?
All new boilers need to be registered with building control as it ties the engineer to that boiler and to that house so it gives you your guarantee plus your boiler warrantee and any come-back goes directly back to the engineer.
10.What is a boilers benchmark log book?
This is very similar to a cars logbook in the sense that once the boiler gets installed it gets commissioned so, for the manufactures benefit and the warrantee, everything is recorded in the log book. The log book also acts as a service history so if you come to sell your property you have full records and service history of the boiler, who it was installed by, when it was installed and its regular services.
