Boiler problems can be dangerous. Not only will they frustrate you but will cost you a pretty penny as well. Living in the United Kingdom means using the boiler most of the year around. You do not want to suffer a boiler breakdown right in the middle of a cold, freezing winter. Imagine, you’re getting ready to go to work and suddenly there’s no more hot water — and it’s 0 degrees outside! Ouch!
Sure, regular maintenance of your boiler will maximise its lifetime. However, you still need to be aware of the signs when the time has come to say goodbye to your old one and to inaugurate a new one.
Odour coming from the boiler
A normally functioning boiler will not give out any strange smell. However, if you do think that it is, then call in a boiler professional to take a look at once. Why, you ask? Mate, this could be carbon monoxide leaking from your boiler. Yes, you’re right about the fact that carbon monoxide does not smell — however, its presence will not allow the boiler to heat up properly and will create the bad odour.
Also keep in mind that the boiler’s flame should be blue and not yellow in colour. If you see a dark soot tainting around the perimeters of your boiler appliance, it’s definitely time to move on. The pilot light should also stay on and not constantly fuse out. You’re a smart cookie. You know that carbon monoxide is lethal for you and your family. It can cause headaches, nausea, make you faint and shortness of breath if anyone is exposed to it.
If you or your family member experience any of these symptoms, leave your house immediately and go outside. You may need to call the authorities to check your house and to do the necessary clean up. Then, you should all go for a medical check-up to ascertain that you are fine.
Radiators slow in heating up
The majority of modern boilers heat up quickly. If you have an older model and it’s taking a long time to reach its maximum or your ideal temperature, then its central heating system could be contaminated with sludge. This may create cold spots and blockages in your radiator. You see, if there is dirty water flowing around, it will definitely damage your equipment in the long run. You’ll end up paying high bills for no reason. Then, arrange a check-up or go shopping.
Boiler has leakage
If small pools of water start appearing around your boiler, its internal constituents may have started to decompose. There could be corrosion or rust occurring that could trigger physical damage to your property. The heating will not work efficiently either. Again, you’ll be paying exorbitant energy bills whilst not receiving the service in return.
High energy fees
Speaking of expensive energy invoices, just check the rating on your boiler’s ErP energy label. You’ll observe that there is a seven point colour spectrum in front of you. It’ll commence from a dark green and go on to a red. If your boiler is functioning normally and productively, it should hover around green. If it isn’t, then mate, you know what you have to do!
Funny sounds coming from the boiler
Is there a soft hum emitting from your boiler? Then, you have nothing to worry about!
However, if you hear clunky, banging or other loud noises emitting from the boiler, please call in a professional at once. There could be a huge number of issues happening within your boiler ranging from a dilemma in its heat pump to its valve. You can try restarting it to check if there’s any positive change. Otherwise, ring up your engineer.
Boiler breaks down all the time
We live in busy, hectic times where we are constantly on the go. You get up, take a shower, get ready, hop on the Tube to get to work, and return home when it’s evening just to either hit the gym, catch a quick pint of beer with your bud or just go home to bed if you’re super tired. The last thing you want to deal with in the midst of all this hustle and bustle is your boiler suffering regular breakdowns.
If every other week, you have trouble with your heating or getting hot water, it’s bound to get worse. You could be dishing out your precious pounds on acquiring replacement parts, trying to find quick fixes or call outs from your engineer. You see, it is not just about the money — it is also about the time and energy you are spending on all this hard work. You deserve to own a boiler that works efficiently and productively — so you have peace of mind. It is highly advised that you consider procuring boiler insurance when you buy a new one.
Finding replacement parts
Okay, so you’re talking to your boiler engineer on a regular basis as you’re having major trouble with yours. If they tell you that finding replacement or substitute parts is a challenging process, then it’s clear that it’s time to bury your current boiler and bring home the new one!
Boiler isn’t achieving “A” Rating
An A rated boiler will let you enjoy ninety percent energy efficiency. Let us put this into some context for you: a G rated boiler has an efficiency of seventy percent or even less. This implies that for every pound you spend on your heating bills, you are suffering a thirty pence loss on energy. Mate, buying a new boiler could save you over three hundred pounds a year on your heating bills. That’s probably more savings than what you are spending on trying to fix the old thing!
Boiler is over a decade old
You may have heard that the maximum lifetime of a boiler is up to twelve years. Well, there’s a reason for that. Technology has evolved significantly since the past ten years and if you wish to ensure that there is no problem for you in the future, you may want to invest in a modern boiler instead.
