I’m a plumber – simple boiler check you need to make now and it could save you £3,400
SUMMER is on its way and now is the perfect time to get a yearly service done on your boiler.
Giving the appliance a once over will highlight any issues before they have a chance to worsen.
Not only could it save you thousands of pounds further down the line, it reduces the chance of anything dangerous happening.
And it’s worth doing it now, while you’re less reliant on the boiler being in full working order and less people are rushing to get theirs serviced.
The Sun spoke to Winston Davis, plumber and founder of Avenue Heating, who revealed why checking your boiler now can pay off later.
A boiler that’s well-serviced keeps your heating in good working order, but it’s safer too.
If it does fall into disrepair and problems aren’t fixed, in the very worst case it may explode or could leak carbon monoxide, which is poisonous.
Winston said: “Your boiler is one of the few things in your home that can actually harm you, either through a gas leak causing an explosion, or a carbon monoxide leak poisoning you. Both can be fatal.
“Checking your boiler is operating safely annually is so important for the safety of you and your family.”
Beyond the immediate danger of not having your boiler serviced, the potential costs can rack up by thousands of pounds as well.
A leaking automatic air-vent will cost around £90 – £140 to replace as part of a yearly service.
But if left alone, it can see water leaking into the boiler, causing rusting which means the boiler will need to be replaced.
Winston said that could cost you around £3,500.
So by spending the roughly £100 getting the air-vent fixed, you’re saving yourself around £3,400 later on down the line.
He said: “The second reason why it’s important to service your boiler is the cost of not servicing it can be huge and in extreme cases mean that the boiler gets condemned prematurely and needs to be replaced.
“On occasion, we have seen a £35 valve that has been left leaking for a few years, causing a boiler casing to rust so much that it develops holes in it and the boiler needs to be replaced.”
It’s not just leaky automatic air-vents that can be costly when left unrepaired either, Winston said.
Spark electrodes that aren’t working properly can be replaced for £70 -£120 during a service.
But if you leave them unfixed, it could cost you £200-£300 if you have to get an emergency plumber out.
Meanwhile, a leaking pressure relief valve costs £50 to £70 to replace as part of a service, but £150 to £250 if you need an emergency repair done.
How do I get my boiler serviced?
A typical boiler service costs between £80 and £130 depending on where you live.
It should be easy to book one in – you can go through your normal plumber.
Or you can book in an appointment with a larger company, like British Gas.
Watch out for plumbers offering substandard services as well.
Winston said anyone doing a service should be spending 45 minutes to an hour and a half checking, cleaning and replacing parts where needed.
To avoid being on the receiving end of a shoddy service, Winston said to do an ID check on the plumber.
“Before anyone carries out gas work in your home, ask them to show you their Gas Safe identity card or proof that they are a gas engineer,” he said.
“There are thousands of unqualified people going around carrying out illegal gas works.
“If they are a genuine engineer, they will have no problem showing you their card or link to the Gas Safe website where you’ll be able to see on there.”
The Gas Safe website has a “Find an Engineer” service where you can trace the plumber and check if they are on the Gas Safe register.
Alternatively, you can find a local engineer who is registered with Gas Safe.
You just have to go on www.gassaferegister.co.uk.