Blog Post

How to Avoid Boiler Breakdown

Ian Holmes • Jan 13, 2021

How to look after your boiler in the current freezing weather and prevent problems

Home Emergency Cover

With the current cold weather, boilers across the country are working hard to beat the cold weather hitting Britain at the moment. But colder temperatures often bring boiler problems - what should you do to keep your boiler working properly?


Freezing cold weather across the UK has seen many keep their heating on for longer than they usually would.

But many will be hit by boiler breakdowns, and last year saw a 5.2 per cent increase in claims for faulty boilers compared to the winter before.

According to Protectyourthings, the number of claims for faulty boilers has consistently increased over the last five years.

So what can homeowners and landlords do to protect their boiler in cold weather?


Keep your heating on low


Sudden cold temperatures can freeze your boiler’s external condensate pipe, which could cause your boiler to stop working. Insulating the pipes can help, or try keeping the heating on constantly but low when it’s very cold.


Bleed your radiators


If your property isn’t getting as warm as you think it should be, there may be air trapped inside the heating system so you may need to bleed your radiators. This is a relatively straight forward process as long as you have a radiator key.


Releasing air from the system is simple but you will need a key which can slot into the radiators bleed valve. If you still have a problem after doing this, you may need to call in the professionals.


How to look after your boiler in freezing cold weather - Keep your boiler maintained


Make sure you service your boiler and keep it maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Check regularly for any warning signs such as leaks, cracks or noises as the sooner you can identify a problem, the easier it will be to fix.

Turn off services when property is unoccupied


If you do have an unoccupied property for longer than 30 days then it’s worth draining the water system and switching the utilities off. However, if it’s in the winter months then keeping your central heating system on at a minimum temperature can help prevent frozen pipes.


Being caught out in the winter with heating issues in the winter months can be particularly stressful, so it’s important to make sure your boiler is fully serviced to minimise the risk of heating system failures.


“Landlords are legally responsible for securing a safety certificate for gas appliances each year and they also need to ensure the heating and hot water systems are maintained and functioning properly.”


If your boiler starts to make loud banging noises, or starts to leal water, this could be a sign of something going seriously wrong according to Protectyourthings and recommend getting a heating engineer to take a look as soon as possible.


For peace of mind, why not take a look at our home emergency plan. This will protect you in the event of a number of emergencies such as Boiler Breakdown, Burst Pipes, Pest Infestation, Electrical Failure, Security Issues and more. With prices starting from £60 per year why not take a look at www.protectyourthings.co.uk

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