Your central heating system is one of the most critical elements of your property’s infrastructure. Without a fully functioning system, you could lose access to vital hot water and heating that we so often take for granted during the winter.
With boilers only supposed to last 10-15 years, there are several precautions you might want to take to protect them against the biggest threats to curtailing that lifespan. After all, new boilers aren’t exactly cheap.
So, with that in mind, here are some tips that will help you prolong the life of your boiler and central heating system and avoid the expense of installing a new boiler for as long as possible.
Maintain a Regular Boiler Servicing Schedule
There’s no doubt about it, one of the best ways to prolong the life of your central heating system is to receive regular visits from a Gas Safe Registered heating engineer. With an annual boiler service, you can guarantee that any issues are identified and rectified before they become costly emergencies, improve energy efficiency, maintain your boiler warranty’s validity, and save money on your energy bills.
By ensuring any issues are immediately dealt with, you can keep your central heating system operating to its full potential and continue to prolong the time between new boiler installations. The best thing is that an annual boiler service doesn’t have to cost the earth either. For less than £100, you can save hundreds in unforeseen repair bills, meaning boiler services often pay for themselves in the long run.
Regularly Bleed Your Radiators
Trapped air pockets are among the biggest inhibitors of efficiency and longevity in your central heating system. The good news is that you can stay on top of them yourself without needing the help of a qualified heating engineer. All you need is a radiator key for this (a flathead screwdriver may work as a replacement).
Start by turning the radiator key anti-clockwise on the radiator valve on the top corner of the radiator no more than half a turn. You’ll hear a hissing noise as the trapped air escapes the radiator. Once you receive the first trickle of water, close off the valve by turning it clockwise.
It’s a good idea to do all the radiators (starting with the ground floor) to make sure all air has been removed from the central heating system.
Once you have bled all the radiators, you can switch your central heating system back on. At this point, it’s an excellent idea to repressurise your boiler, and you can read our blog on boiler pressures to learn how to do that.
Add Corrosion Inhibitors to Your Central Heating System
If you’re unaware, corrosion inhibitor fluid is a chemical treatment that helps break down any deposits within your pipework that could graduate into blockages later down the line. If you live in a hard water area, your central heating system is more prone to limescale build-up in particular. Adding corrosion inhibitor fluid helps prevent build-ups and keeps your central heating system running smoothly.
Scale inhibitors can also be purchased to attach to your boiler pipework to prevent limescale build-up. They use magnetic and electrolytic filters to prevent limescale from forming and are relatively cheap to buy.
While you can carry out these treatments yourself, it’s very easy to get it wrong, so we would always recommend getting in a professional heating engineer to carry out the work.
Speak To Wirral Plumbers Today Regarding the Health of Your Central Heating System
When it comes to maintaining your central heating system, the good news is that there are plenty of steps you take to protect the health of your system, including those listed above.
While you can keep on top of activities such as bleeding your radiators yourself, we would recommend seeking professional services for some of the more complex maintenance tasks such as boiler servicing, chemical treatments, and magnetic power flushes.
So if you are looking to keep a new boiler installation at arm’s length for as long as possible, then make sure to give us a call on 0758 0395 493 today to discuss your central heating needs in more detail.
