An annual boiler service is important to keep your boiler fully functional and prevent the emergence of any serious issues. Boilers which aren’t serviced annually are at serious risk of suffering from breakdowns and severe energy inefficiency. But when is it best to get your boiler serviced?

It’s probably any time that isn’t the Winter; not only is this the busiest time for heating engineers – it’s also more expensive as well. In this article we’ll go over the many benefits of getting your boiler serviced before winter.

Winter Boiler Service – Issues

Scheduling Problems

Winter is by far the busiest season for heating engineers. Winter sees a significant increase in breakdowns and boiler trouble – and because of the cold weather much of the time these problems must be addressed immediately. The cold weather also can cause damage to pipework (frozen pipes are a serious issue).

This means that while it’s entirely possible to schedule a boiler service during the winter you’re almost guaranteed not to be prioritised and are more than likely going to end up looking at a very awkward timeframe for securing a repair. This can be especially annoying around Christmas time, especially if it turns out your boiler has problems, and the work will need to take longer.

This can also be a serious problem if you have left your annual service to the last minute – as it can endanger the renewal of your warranty.

Increased Costs

 Heating engineers tend to charge the most during the winter – regardless of whether they’re part of a larger firm or are independent. This is largely because they are so busy during the winter, and so can make a significant amount of money during this time.  You can look at an increase in the cost compared to other times of the year (where heating engineers are more than likely to offer significant discounts for the cost of the service).

Benefits of Getting a Service before the Winter

Peace of Mind

Knowing that your boiler has been properly checked and any issues with it have been resolved well ahead of winter is a huge benefit for your peace of mind – removing the worry that you’ll be dealing with any surprise cold showers or other problems when the winter rolls in.

If you’re a landlord, it’s a legal requirement

As a landlord you have a legal requirement to ensure your boiler has been properly serviced annually, and by a gas safe registered engineer a well.

Ensuring your Warranty is maintained

A warranty is a key part of your boiler – providing you with peace of mind knowing that in the case of any faults or breakdowns, your boiler can either be repaired or replaced. However, many warranties necessitate that you annually service the boiler. Failure to keep the boiler annually serviced (and by a gas safe engineer) will result in the loss of the warranty. This is a serious problem, and something you must avoid.

Many problems with your boiler begin in the Summer

Because we don’t use our boilers as much during the summer, many problems go completely undetected until the winter – meaning you are facing problems when you need your boiler the most. Furthermore, the reduced use of the boiler can cause problems of its own – clogging up pipework and causing leaks. Not only are these serious issues – but if undetected they can prove to be very, very expensive. Therefore, it is good to have a service done during the summer, so you can prevent these issues from becoming a problem in the first place.

Scheduling is a lot easier

Heating engineers at CHS Glasgow have a significantly reduced workload outside of winter – especially during the summer. This means that it’s far easier to schedule an annual service during this period than during the winter, where the engineers are significantly busier.

Another point in the favour of summer servicing is that you aren’t as reliant on your boiler during the summer. This means there’s far less disruption if you need to have work done on your boiler.

Reducing the costs

Because they have a significantly reduced workload during the summer and outside of winter, heating engineers often provide discounts. These aren’t always significant (they’re often around £20 to £30 – it depends on who you are going with) – but in the long run they can help a lot. Furthermore, these discounts are often provided regardless of whether the engineers are independent or part of a larger firm. This makes paying for a service a lot more palatable.