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Customers of major energy firms including British Gas, EON and EDF are being issued a warning over putting their heating back on this summer.
It’s been a cold and miserable summer so far with barely any hot weather to write home about. And some people have even noticed their boiler automatically turning back on overnight due to the cold conditions – and even frost – we’ve been battling this June.
But if you do turn your heating back on, you could end up facing a nasty shock, according to boiler experts at Boxt.
That’s because boilers switched off for months on end can develop problems which you may only discover when you turn them back on.
Should I put my heating back on?
Andy Kerr, Founder at BOXT, said: “Whilst it may be tempting to switch your heating off and forget about it as soon as the weather improves, most modern heating systems benefit from being run for a short period of time quite regularly. If you plan to go on holiday during the spring or summer, it is acceptable to turn your boiler system off for a short period of time, but make sure that you run the system a few times during the summer months to ensure optimal boiler health.”
If not, you could find issues with your boiler. One such issue is the boiler’s pressure level.
Boxt added: “If the gauge is in the red zone (too high or too low), then your hot water and heating might cut off and it could cause damage to the boiler. If the pressure is too low then you can top it up yourself, you just need to know which method your boiler uses for repressurising. If it’s too high, you can try bleeding your radiators to relieve some of the pressure in the system. If this doesn’t work or you are regularly experiencing high or low boiler pressure, then it’s worth getting an engineer out to take a look at what’s causing the problem.”
Fortunately, now is a great time to get a boiler serviced during the less busy summer months which could actually save you money.
BOXT continued: “If you haven’t had your boiler serviced in the last 12 months, we would recommend getting it done as soon as possible. Not only does an annual boiler service ensure your manufacturer’s warranty remains valid, but it also provides you with the peace of mind that your heating system is working as it should be. Doing this in the spring and summer months may mean there is better availability of engineers, with fewer call-outs due to colder weather, and people less reliant on their heating systems. As a result, you may potentially also find some offer discounted rates.”
Several energy firms like British Gas and EON offer boiler cover which for a monthly fee offers inclusive repairs and servicing on boilers as well as discounts on new boilers.
These can sometimes be more pricey than using a dedicated engineer, with call out for a boiler service usually landing around £80-100 for a one-off, while £10 a month cover would be £120 a year, so it’s worth weighing up what’s best for you.
