Boiler servicing and gas safety checks

A boiler service isn't a formality. Most of the breakdowns we get called to in winter had warning signs months earlier: pressure creeping down, a noisy pump, a flue seal starting to go. Catching those in September is a great deal cheaper than a call-out on Boxing Day.

It's also the one thing nearly every manufacturer insists on to keep a warranty in force.

What the job includes

• Combustion tested with a flue gas analyser
• Gas rate and operating pressures checked against the maker's figures
• Burner, heat exchanger and condensate trap checked and cleaned
• Seals, flue and ventilation inspected
• Safety devices tested
• System pressure and expansion vessel checked

Landlords and gas safety records

If you let a property, the law is not optional. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 you must have every gas appliance and flue checked every twelve months by a Gas Safe registered engineer, give the tenant a copy of the record within 28 days, and give new tenants a copy at the start of the tenancy. We can do the whole property in one visit and send the record over the same day.

Worth knowing: a landlord gas safety record and a boiler service are not the same thing. The record confirms the appliance is safe. A service cleans and adjusts it so it keeps running well. Most landlords sensibly have both done together.

Carbon monoxide

Carbon monoxide has no smell and no taste, and a badly burning gas appliance is the usual source. If you haven't got an alarm in the room with the boiler, get one; they're inexpensive and they work. Sooty marks around an appliance, a yellow rather than crisp blue flame, or condensation on the windows of the room are all reasons to stop using it and call us.

When to book

Late summer and early autumn are the quiet months and the best time to get it done. By the first cold snap everyone rings at once.