A boiler is the heart of a home, responsible for providing necessities such as hot water and heating that help you create a comfortable living environment. Boiler systems themselves and installation costs can be expensive, therefore maintaining their health is vital for keeping utility bills at a low cost. Emergency plumbing repairs can also be costly and inconvenient, especially in the colder months of the year when you rely on your system the most. There are ways to maintain your “boilers health” and minimise emergency plumbing and breakdown costs such as boiler servicing. Here at Origin, our engineers are highly trained and experienced in all aspects of boiler servicing.
What is a boiler service?
A Boiler service includes a thorough inspection of all system components. The parts of your system will all be checked to ensure they are working at maximum efficiency and a thorough clean will be completed to prevent any blockages. During a service, our engineer’s lookout for any system components that may fail in the near future. This enables you to plan repairs before they become an emergency. The most important part of a boiler service is checking your system to ensure that it is safe. To book your boiler service with an experienced gas safe engineer, contact Origin today.
All of our engineers have the expertise needed to provide you with a thorough boiler service. Each engineer follows a standard boiler service checklist which we have outlined below:
How do you service a boiler?
Servicing a boiler involves running a series of checks on your system, its parts and operations. Running these checks will help you to ensure your boiler is running safely and efficiently. It is important to ensure this annual service is carried out by a Gas Safe Registered engineer. You can check this by inspecting the ID of the plumber who arrives to carry out your service. Here at Origin, all of our engineers are Gas Safe Registered and fully qualified to carry out high standard boiler services.
What does a boiler service include?
Boiler Service Checklist
- Boiler Service Checklist
Your engineer will begin by visually inspecting your boiler. This will involve removing the casing of your boiler, checking, cleaning and making necessary adjustments to its internal parts. This also provides your engineer to check for any signs of damage or distress before they become an emergency. - Operation and control
Your boiler includes a number of controls and safety devices. These will need to be tested to ensure they are operating correctly. - Flue and combustion releases
Construction, termination and the route of the flue pipe from your boiler to the outside of your house will be checked. This will involve ensuring there are no obstructions and that everything has been safely fitted. - Cleaning the main boiler components
The main components of your boiler will be removed and cleaned during a service. This helps the engineer see any noticeable faults and ensure they are fit for purpose. Parts in these checks will include; the heat exchanger, ignition pins, flue ways and main burner. - Further checks
Once the initial key inspections have been completed, there are further tests included in a boiler service. These can include: - Flame sense device and whether it operates correctly
- Pilot burner and any cables and probes
- Measure and recorded gas pressure
- Measure and recorded water pressure
- Carbon monoxide check
- Boiler operation
- Provision of adequate ventilation
- Flue effectiveness
- Heating controls
- Electrical wiring connections
- Location of the boiler and nearby combustible materials
- Full corrosion inspection
- Gas and pressure flow
- Safety devices
Central Heating Power Flushing and Chemical Flushing
Older central heating systems are prone to containing a build-up of sludge and debris. It occurs in most systems and is made up of particles of rust and water impurities. This sludge slowly develops over the years and is almost inevitable. It becomes problematic when the sludge stops the water circulating free around the pipes and radiators. It also makes the boiler work harder which puts a strain on the system, damaging the boiler in the long run. This is something you will need to monitor as well as annual servicing if you own an older central heating system.
The solution is power flushing. A trained engineer, such as one of the team here at Origin, attaches specialist flushing equipment to the central heating system. Chemicals are used at first to loosen the sludge deposits. Once the deposits are dislodged, freshwater is flushed around the pipes and radiators. The contaminated waste is removed through a full bore dump valve and carried out to the drains.
The power flush process takes a few hours and simply requires access to the existing central heating system. With the pipes clear of debris, the hot water can circulate freely again and warm the radiators more effectively. A power flush only needs to be repeated every 5 years or so, or before a new boiler is fitted.
A chemical flush is a more basic version of a power flush. However, they can be just as effective. Chemicals are flushed through your system using gravity, instead of a pump. As the cleaner is flushed around the system from your boiler, any debris will be caught by a magnetic filter.
If you require a chemical flush or boiler service in Burnside, Bearsden, Paisley or surrounding Glasgow areas, contact Origin today. Our engineers carry years of experience and are trained to the highest standards. We pride ourselves on excellent customer service supplemented by our outstanding reviews. We will complete all work quickly and efficiently with minor inconvenience to your family and your home. To book your boiler service, contact Origin today.
