Make sure your boiler is in good working order before winter (Picture: Getty Images/Westend61)
Given we’ve just come out of a record-breaking late summer heatwave, the last thing you’re probably thinking of doing right now is switching the heating on.
But with the colder months fast approaching, the time will come when you’ll want to succumb – and although the Ofgem energy price cap is dropping to £1,923 from October 1, energy bills set to remain stubbornly high this winter as the cost of living crisis continues to bite
Which means saving the pennies on heating costs has never been more important.
So it’s worth making some important checks on your boiler and other appliances before you switch on the radiators this winter – and doing it now will potentially cut down on your bills.
Here’s the action you should take…
What to do before turning the heating on
You should look into all of the following in the coming weeks:
Have your boiler serviced
This is something you should be doing annually, as Andy Kerr, Founder at boiler experts BOXT explains: ‘As a general rule, your boiler should be serviced every 12 months from the day it was installed, even if you don’t see any warning signs that call for immediate action.
‘The service is not just about keeping your boiler in top condition, but also to ensure that the manufacturer’s warranty for your boiler stays valid.
‘You might feel the urgency of checking your boiler’s health in winter, as this is when it’s being used the most, but that is quickly forgotten as the weather starts to get warmer, and we begin to turn our boilers off.
Bleeding your radiator is advisable (Picture: Getty Images)
‘We recommend booking an appointment for a routine boiler service in the summer or early autumn to ensure your boiler is working at maximum efficiency before the winter months.
‘Of course, winter is the busiest period for engineers, so taking care of your boiler when it’s being used less not only helps you spot any issues before you’re going to be more reliant on your heating but can also be more convenient and easier to get an appointment.’
Check the temperature of your water
The average household’s combination boiler water temperature comes in at between 75 and 80C – but dropping it down to 60C could see your bill being slashed by around 9%.
That potentiall represents a saving of around £100 a year – but make sure you don’t turn it down any lower than that, to keep germs and bacteria which thrive in lower temperatures at bay.
Check and bleed your radiators
Bleeding your radiators allows you to release trapped air from them, which in turn will make the boiler more effective at pumping heat around your home – potentially lowering the cost of your bill.
Trapped air also prevents water from heating your whole radiator, causing cold spots and …read more
Source:: Metro
