Let’s face it, with the ongoing increase in energy bills, nobody is too thrilled at the idea of having to dish out extra money for a new boiler, especially not if your boiler is fairly new.
But a boiler, like any household appliance, needs to be maintained and cared for in order to operate as smoothly as possible for as long as possible. Neglecting your boiler or only attending to it when a visible problem has occurred will mean higher chances of it experiencing serious complications in future or worse yet, a complete breakdown.
Why is it important to take care of your boiler?
We can safely say that the biggest reason has to be to save money. The more care you apply to the condition of your boiler, the less money you’ll need to spend in the long-run. Imagine if you left your boiler unattended and it needed repairs too frequently, the costs alone from addressing the fixes would begin to pile up, eventually leaving you with bills that could have been avoided.
What is the average life expectancy of a boiler?
The average lifespan of a boiler is estimated to be between 10-15 years. With the addition of regular boiler servicing and maintenance, your boiler could potentially exceed its life expectancy. And whilst some maintenance steps are simple enough to carry out by yourself, you don’t have to feel as if you’re expected to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. We can assist with the more nitty gritty aspects of caring for your boiler.
With that being said, we’ll look at the top ways you can extend your boiler’s life expectancy for as long as possible before a new boiler replacement is considered.
What are the ways I can increase my boiler’s lifespan?
1. Servicing is a saviour
The first and foremost piece of advice we can give it to make sure that your boiler is serviced. It only needs to be done once a year so it’s not too much of a disruption but is a hugely effective way to increase your boiler’s life.
By getting your boiler serviced by a Gas Safe-Registered Engineer, you can make sure that any and all little fixes are noted and addressed before they become troublesome. It’s like a health check-up for your boiler and does wonders for it. Plus, it means your warranty remains protected.
DIY?
2. Invest in and install a magnetic filter
Debris, sludge and the iron compounds from water can easily get clogged in heating systems, making it a huge vulnerability. The more build up of this, the less likely your boiler will be able to effectively provide heat around your home.
A magnetic filter helps to filter all the grime and metallic components that get built-up in your system, leaving it cleaner for longer. This is a brilliant little addition to install to your system as it also helps to save more on energy bills, considering your boiler won’t need to work harder and longer as it would if it was full of sludge and magnetite etc.
DIY?
3. Bleed your radiators
When air gets trapped in your heating system, it means that heat emitters such as your radiators are not able to provide heat around your home as efficiently. If you feel your radiators and they are warm to the touch at the bottom but colder towards the top, they will need bleeding.
Learn more in our guide: How to bleed your radiators.
This only requires a couple of different affordable and accessible tools and is a brilliantly simple way to help release the air trapped in your home’s heating system. Your radiator will have a bleed point at the top where you can insert a radiator key to release the air. Place a towel or absorbent material underneath to catch any water that may release too.
DIY?
4. Apply inhibitor to your heating system
Build up of limescale is to be expected in a system that’s purpose is to move water. But leaving limescale to teem in your heating system can cause corrosion beneath it, weakening the metal that makes up your heating system.
An inhibitor is a liquid that helps to protect your boiler against limescale, rust and corrosion by applying a protective coat to your system.
DIY?
5. Give it a power flush
A central heating system power flush essentially gives your heating system a deep clean by using water at a high pressure combined with cleaning chemicals. It will help to clear out anything that may be sitting in your heating system that could be causing build up or damage.
With the presence of a magnetic filter or inhibitor, your system would less likely be in need of a power flush. But whether you have these installed or not, giving your heating system a bit of TLC can help to completely cleanse and revitalise it, making it almost as efficient as when it was first installed.
DIY?
6. Turn the heating on in the summer
Whilst it sounds completely contradictory, it is advisable to turn your boiler on for short periods throughout summer. This only needs to be very short bursts occasionally. Once every month for about 10-20 minutes should do.
A boiler doesn’t cope very well being left unused for long periods of time. Turning the heating on every so often during the summer months helps to prevent moving parts seizing and keeps the water flowing through your heating systems. After all, the last thing anyone wants is to get to autumn/winter and have insufficient heat in the home.
DIY?
7. Keep pipes insulated
It’s important to not forget about the pipes, particularly ones that are exposed to cold air like up in the loft or outside in a garage. These are prone to freezing in the winter months, which is one of the biggest causes of boiler problems during these colder periods.
Insulating the (typically copper) pipes with lagging helps to prevent a major boiler breakdown whilst also ensuring that your pipes stay protected from the harsh winter cold. Insulation lagging can be purchased at affordable prices from most major hardware retailers.
DIY?
When is it time to just get a new boiler?
Extending your boiler’s lifespan for as long as possible is a brilliant way to keep costs down but efficiency up. However, whilst all the ways we’ve mentioned can help to extend your boiler’s life expectancy, there will inevitably come a time when your boiler will just need an entirely new replacement.
If you’ve had your boiler for a while and you’ve begun to notice apparent changes and/or issues such as constant low water pressure, regular breakdowns, unusual smells, unhealthy noises, leaks, or lack of performance, it is potentially high time to inquire about getting it replaced.
At GreenSmart we provide an entire range of services to suit your boiler’s needs:
Get in touch today to enquire further
