How to prepare your boiler for winter

Nobody wants to be shivering through the winter, which is why it is so important to make sure your boiler is ready for the cold weather. Winterising your heating system is a simple job, but one that you should take time to think about by the end of the summer. These five steps will keep you cosy when the temperature drops.

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Be autumn savvy

Don’t wait for the cold to bite before testing your boiler; instead, make sure you fire it up at least once while the weather is still mild in early autumn. Let your radiators heat up and check whether the heat is constant throughout; otherwise, you may need to bleed the air out of the system before winter.

Insulate for protection

Lagging your pipes is a DIY job that might take an afternoon; however, it may save you heartache when the weather turns icy. The water in uninsulated pipes can freeze when the temperature hits zero, causing them to burst and resulting in potentially catastrophic and very costly damage. Pipe sleeves secured with cable ties are a low-cost solution to the problem.

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Arrange a boiler service

You probably won’t be thinking about the health of your boiler in the summer; however, this could be the best time to arrange a service, giving you peace of mind knowing that your boiler will spark into life when you need it. A boiler service will discover any faults or even whether you need to install a new boiler. For efficient boiler installation Cheltenham homes can rely on, contact a Gas Safe installer such as combi-man.com.

Check your thermostat

As part of your service, your Gas Safe engineer should check your thermostats and timers to ensure they are working efficiently. If not, consider relocating your thermostat from a cooler part of the house or invest in a smart thermostat that can be controlled from anywhere, including your smartphone.

Power flush your system

Keeping the liquid in your heating system moving through the radiators will make sure your heating system works at optimum efficiency. An annual power flush will remove any sludge from the system, which can then be refilled with clean water to which a corrosion inhibitor is added. This keeps the pressure in the system at the correct level and ensures your central heating keeps you cosy throughout the winter.