Gas service

Is your Boiler ready for Winter ???

Is your Boiler ready for Winter ???

Winter is here now and the temperatures have dropped, many homes across the UK have switched on their boilers back on.

At a time when energy bills have increased significantly along with the overall cost of living, the last thing you need is a problem with your gas boiler just as the colder months begins, which can eave you in the cold.

Carrying out a few checks can help ensure that your boiler works as expected, reduces the risk of an unexpected breakdown and ensures you have time to repair or replace the boiler if required.

Our latest Article post will takes you through our recommended checks to carry out on your boiler before you begin to use it regularly again.

Test the Boiler

Giving your boiler a few hours to run after being switched off for many months will allow you to check that it is working properly, giving you enough time to address any issues before the cold weather hits.

After winter ended last year, you likely switched off the thermostat as well as turning the boiler off at the control panel. To get your heating back on, simply switch the boiler on at the control panel before setting your thermostat on.

Some people also choose to switch their radiator valves off throughout the summer, so these will need to be opened again to ensure the heating works. If you have thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) this is as simple as turning the dial, but older valves may require a pair of pliers.

Good time to test your heating system and service your Boiler before Winter comes knocking

Good time to test your heating system and service your Boiler before Winter comes knocking

With the arrival of winter soon and long cool nights, homeowners are starting to turn on the central heating system.

However, in many cases the gas boiler system have not been completely turned off for several months and sudden ignition can cause problems.

This is the perfect time to check and resolve problems before the cold winter days comes and the central heating system is turned on every day.

It's a good idea to turn on your boiler system once or twice a month at least, even if you're not using it. This will help keep your boiler in good working condition. It also detects problems before using the heating system frequently and prevents dust and dirt buildup and pipe corrosion in your heating system.

If in doubt, call us at Abbey Boilers at any time to book a service or boiler check. This is an ideal time to properly maintain a central heating system before it is fully tested by the daily usage requirements of autumn and winter. Some of the simple things you can do to get the boiler and gas central heating system to work at the optimum level include ventilation of a radiator with a faucet.

If the radiator of the heating system has cold spots or is noisy, the air may be trapped and need bleeding.

If the radiator is cold, use a wrench to loosen the valve nut on one side of the radiator, wait for the air to swoosh and the water to begin to flow, then close it again.

This evenly distributes the water around the radiator and maintains the efficiency of the central heating system.

Once all the radiators are bled, the boiler should be turned on by raise the temperature slowly so that it does not heat too quickly until it reaches the ideal temperature.

The thermostat should be set to a comfortable temperature you require for your home, usually 18-21 degrees Celsius.

Taking care of your central heating system should help your boiler last longer, protect you from unnecessary repairs, so that you and your family can be in a nice warm home longer.

If you need any help with your service get in touch with us:

Business as usual at Abbey Boilers!

Business as usual at Abbey Boilers!

Our engineers are highly skilled, ready for any eventuality and have completed thousands of Covid-safe jobs to date in our service area , so you know you can rely on us to keep your home warm and cosy.

Abbey Boilers always puts the safety of our customers first and now all our engineers are fully PPE ready when they come to your home, they are ready to give you extra peace of mind that they can carry out their work safely and respectfully.

  • Personal Mask -

  • Gloves for each job-

  • Personal Hand sanitiser -

  • Shoe coverings -

  • Daily Heat sensor tested -

WHETHER YOU NEED :

  • Boiler Service

  • Boiler install

  • Leaking Tab

  • Oil Tank

We hope things will start to turn back to normal, but in the mean time our amazing engineers are here and ready as they have been for the last year under these trying times. All our engineers are fully qualified and have many years of experience under Abbey Boilers.

Gas safe and Covid-19

Gas safe and Covid-19

Gas Safe have released their latest guidance on Covid-19. For my information please go to their website.

Can gas engineers still work?
Given the restrictions that have been put in place in order to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus, it is essential that any registered businesses undertaking work still follow the guidelines in terms of:

  • Keeping a minimum of 2m apart from other people (who are not from your household)

  • Washing hands frequently

  • Wiping down all surfaces

  • Maintaining their Gas Safe registration

Full guidance on precautions to take to avoid transferring or contracting the virus can be found at www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19

And: www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings/covid-19-decontamination-in-non-healthcare-settings

This is based on current guidance from the UK Government, at 24th March 2020, and is subject to change as the pandemic situation progresses.

We also note that registered businesses should conduct their own assessment of the risks before entering any property, as with any other risk.

Can I still carry out a landlord gas safety check?
Landlords still have a legal duty to repair and maintain gas pipework, flues and appliances in a safe condition, to ensure an annual gas safety check on each appliance and flue, and to keep a record of each safety check. The latest restrictions on leaving the home currently allow registered gas engineers to undertake essential work, whilst taking the appropriate precautions advised to avoid spreading or contracting the virus in a new setting.

In the event you are unable to gain access to the property, e.g. persistent refusal of access due to vulnerable tenants self-isolating, the landlord will be expected to be able to demonstrate that they took reasonable steps to comply with the law, and that they are seeking to arrange the safety check as soon as all parties are able. This will need to include records of communication with the tenant, and details of any attempts where the engineer tried to gain access.

What happens if my ACS is due to expire?
Whilst engineers are expected to take all reasonable measures to maintain their ACS qualifications, including planning ahead where possible, we appreciate that the current situation means this is not feasible. Maintaining gas safety competence is essential for registered gas engineers.

If engineers take all reasonable steps to update their expired ACS certification as soon as possible after the restrictions are lifted, and continue to work safely, HSE will permit registered gas engineers to remain on the Register for an additional period during the peak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) measures. Engineers may be required to demonstrate that they have taken reasonable steps to renew their qualifications. Engineers MUST maintain their Gas Safe registration during any extension of their ACS qualification period if they are carrying out gas work. This is a temporary measure and does not remove the standing requirement for registered gas engineers to maintain their ACS certification and renew certification every 5 years.

Gas Safe Register Inspections
We understand that there is some confusion amongst registered engineers following our recent update. We apologise for this and want to clarify the latest situation:

During this initial period of restriction, Gas Safe Register anticipates we will only conduct inspections undertaken by GSR Inspectors into high risk scenarios, and that these will be determined on a case-by-case basis with the HSE. All other inspections will be held and prioritised to be scheduled once the restrictions are lifted.

We have suspended all of our routine Inspection Events for the time being, and are looking at suitable alternatives to attending an event in person. This work will continue, and we will communicate details of these as soon as they have been decided.

Gas Safe Register's service
We are currently operating a limited service as we have closed our main office as of today until further notice, to support efforts to reduce the spread of the virus. We appreciate your patience and would like to remind you that we will not tolerate any abuse of our staff at any time; and ask that you treat everyone with respect as we work through this emerging situation.

Myths about your central heating

Myths about your central heating

Did you know you could save yourself £250 a year just by switching off your lights and heating when they’re not in use? Oftec have released a list of mysthbusting facts to help you save money this winter.