It is common practice for UK car users to ensure that their vehicles are regularly checked to ensure that they are safe. It is well known that a poorly maintained car can be dangerous. The same applies to a boiler that does not receive regular checks.
Boiler maintenance is of the upmost importance regardless of the type of boiler your home has installed. A faulty or poorly maintained gas central heating boiler can release carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide poisoning can be lethal and on average fifty UK residents a year have been killed.
What is Carbon Monoxide? Carbon Monoxide is an odourless and tasteless gas which means that it is often undetectable unless tested for properly. High levels of carbon monoxide leaked from a poorly maintained boiler can and will cause death by asphyxiation.
Be aware of the signs of carbon monoxide
Being without colour or scent it is important to be aware of the signs that there is carbon monoxide leaking into your home. Common symptoms may include nausea, drowsiness, dizziness, headaches and chest pains.
Signs around your home may include black or sooty marks appearing above appliances that are fuel burning, coal or wood fires going out easily or being difficult to light and gas flames that usually burn a blue colour now burning yellow or orange instead. If you believe there is a gas leak in your home, open window, go outside and call Transco for free on 0800 111 999
Boiler maintenance is essential
Due to its silent nature it is doubly essential that boiler maintenance takes place yearly. For those who are living in rented accommodation it is a legal requirement that the Landlord has the boiler and associated equipment undergo a check every twelve months at least and that any required repairs are done. Check the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 for more details on this.
As well as ensuring that you arrange for regular boiler maintenance it would be wise to install a carbon monoxide detector in your home. These can picked up from more home improvement stores and department stores as well as larger supermarkets.
More reasons to arrange regular boiler maintenance
As well as the obvious reasoning behind a regular service which is safety another factor to consider is efficiency. A boiler with blocked flues or faulty parts will not be working to its maximum efficiency. This will mean that the boiler could be working harder than it would normally need to. This in turn will increase the fuel used to power the boiler giving an increase in energy bills.
A boiler is not an inexpensive item. Regular maintenance will increase the life expectancy of the boiler and a repair will cost significantly less that a new boiler which can cost anything from £1000.
Be safe
Regular boiler maintenance is not a luxury, it is essential. According to USwitch.com a boiler breaks down every 20 seconds in the UK. Call an engineer now and arrange a service. Don’t put your safety or your wallet at risk.
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