Find a Heating Engineer you can trust in Bude.

When it comes to gas boilers, this is one of the most frequent questions that always pops up and for a good reason. When you invest a considerable amount of money to acquire and install a gas boiler in your business property, it’s only reasonable not only to expect the boiler to warm up your property efficiently, but also to do so for a long period of time. If you’ve just bought or about to get a new gas boiler, it’s likely you won’t have to worry about getting a replacement for a lengthy period of time. Several commercial gas boilers will last for anywhere between 10 to 15 years on the average. However in the event whereby you have an existing one that’s fast approaching the end of it’s useful life, then you should know the time go get a new gas boiler is just around the corner, and the earlier you make the purchase, the better (to avoid any surprise breakdowns that’ll leave your home super uncomfortable).

Just like any other home appliance, it’s a fact that an older gas boiler ( especially those that have been installed over a decade ago) are significantly less efficient that the new modern ones. When the older versions were manufactured is a completely different time to now as both technology and climate concerns are wide apart. So when your existing boiler is approaching the end of it’s useful life, it’ll be wise to start saving up to cover the cost of getting a new one. However, if it’s only about 5 years ago your boiler was installed, it’s highly likely to still be very efficient.

If your boiler is leaking, there are some checks that you can do yourself. However, you should never attempt to repair your boiler yourself – only a Gas Safe-registered engineer should conduct repairs.

There are 3 main reasons why your boiler might be leaking: there’s a pressure valve fault, a temperature valve leak or corrosion in the system. An engineer will be able to spot the problem quickly, but in the meantime there are a few things you can do:

Check the pipe fittings

If your boiler is leaking water around the pipe fittings, it could be an installation fault and you should get in touch with the engineer that fitted it. You can check the pipe fittings by drying the area then waiting to see if the water appears again. If it does, you may be able to do a ¼ turn of the pipe to stop it. However, you should still call the engineer that installed it to ask them to check the PTFE tape on the inside.

Inspect the seals

Over time, the rubber seals on a boiler can start to perish, so if you have an old boiler this could be the source of your leak. If you have a new boiler, it could be caused by your boiler running over pressure.

Heat exchanger corrosion

Unfortunately, if a boiler engineer discovers that the boiler is leaking water from the heat exchanger, this is the end of the road for your system. The heat exchanger is the most expensive part of your boiler, so it makes more financial sense to replace your boiler with a newer, more efficient model rather than try to replace it.

If you’re thinking about getting a new gas boiler for your home or property, then you might also be wondering how much it’ll cost you so you can set a budget and start planning. As simple as this question sounds, it’s actually very tricky to provide a simple and short answer as the costs of installing a new gas boiler alone varies greatly based on the parts needed, the amount of work required, your location, their availability as well as the company you hire for the project.

When it comes to purchasing a new gas boiler the price you’re expected to pay also depends on multiple influencing factors such as the type, brand as well as your most preferred gas boiler model. However, one thing you should have in mind is the fact that your gas boiler is right at the heart of your home or property and can be a complicated piece of machinery. As a result, you wouldn’t expect gas boilers to come cheap. Generally, it’s going to cost within the range of £500 to about £2,500 to get a new gas boiler. Therefore, it’s always advisable to obtain all necessary details and facts before you decide to purchase a replacement gas boiler.

This price range may seem too high as it’s usually a turn off for most homeowners. However, it’s worth noting that gas boiler replacement costs and gas boiler installation costs are, more often than not, compensated by the saving you’ll make off your utility bills - all thanks to the new and more energy efficient boiler you just installed in your home. And even more importantly, when it has been estimated that roughly half of the amount spent on energy on an annual basis depends on your boiler.

The Hive thermostat stand is relatively easy to install, however if you lack the necessary training or experience, this is a task you might want to leave to a professional to guarantee the best result while also saving you money and time. This guide will give you a good insight into the Hive thermostat installation process.

The installation of a Hive thermostat does require it to be connected to your home boiler. For this reason we always recommend you get a professional to install it. However once install the Hive Smart Thermostat is very easy to operate and move the controller around your home. To get started, you can follow these steps:

• Press the lever at the lower side of the thermostat and pull away from the front to detach the back plate of your device.

• Once done, simply hang the thermostat on the stand back plate and ensure it holds firmly in place

When it comes to Hive thermostat installation, you might also want to consider the positioning of the device in such a way to heat your home even more efficiently as its designed to be very sensitive to temperature. To identify the best spot for your Hive thermostat, let’s take a look at some of the dos and don’ts.

A Few Dos:

• Do maintain the position of your Hive Thermostat to keep a stable connection with the receive and Hive Hub.

• Do ensure that the position chosen is the centre of your home or a frequently used room.

• Do place the thermostat about 1 to 1.5 metres from floor.

• Do ensure that your thermostat is in a close proximity with the hub and receiver for a better functionality.

A Few Don’ts:

• Don’t place your Hive thermostat stand close to radiators, direct sunlight or other heat sources,

• Don’t position your device near or at places that can expoerience a sudden change in temperature such as the front or back door.

• Don’t leave your thermostat too close to curtains or ornaments.

Who Fixes Boilers?

With boiler running for several hours in a day and working hard to ensure that our home stays warm, even when we tend to take it for granted it’s always there give us the heat we need whenever we need it. So in the event whereby the inevitable happens and your boiler breakdown, which professional is the most suitable to call for help? When the pressure is on to stop a boiler leak or bring back warmth to your home, knowing who to call can make all the difference.

When you need a professional to fix your boiler, the right professional to call is a heating engineer. Heating engineers work mainly on heating I both homes and businesses, so you’d be right to call them specialists in all heating matters. As a result of this, you may want to give them a call when experiencing some issues with your boiler as they’d be in the best position than any other professional to give you a proper solution.

Generally, heating engineers are experts when it comes to fixing boilers and can help with various tasks such as installing a new boiler, boiler repairs, installing new gas pipes, repairing gas leaks, changing radiators, fixing leaks, installing heating controls and many more. What’s more? A boiler repair has to do with working with gas and before you can do that you must be a Gas Safe registered engineer as required by the legislations in the UK. In other words, any gas boiler related issue must be tackled by a Gas Safe registered engineer as this is a very dangerous fuel in which the services must be provided to highest standards of safety. Only heating engineers can be a Gas Safe registered engineer to work on gas boilers.

When it comes to boiler insurance in the UK, two companies easily comes to mind - British Gas Homecare and Homeserve. Just like any other choice you’d have to make, choosing the company that’s best for you might be a bit difficult especially if you don’t want to make the wrong choice. This article will give you a good insight into the pros and cons of the two companies’ boiler cover to help you make the best choice for your home.

British Gas Homecare Cover

Pros

• Reduced cost of services as a result of the annual payment option.

• An array of affordable packages including both few and several services

• Although vulnerable customers are prioritized, the company offers a 24/7 services.

• Unlimited claims

• Depending on what you wish to get, be it only a monthly boiler cover or more services, you’ll get several services’ options.

Cons

• With a 50% bad rating on a reliable customer review site, you know there is a question mark on the company’s customer service.

• Increment in renewal price after first year of service.

• Lacks cover for the boiler’s sludge or scale.

Homeserve Cover

Pros

• For most individuals, the 5 packages offered are affordable.

• 24 hour help hotline

• From reliable customer rating websites, the company offers a great service.

• Cover costs include both parts and labour.

• There are good options for one-off repairs.

• The options are cheaper than British Gas services.

• There are multiple choices for excess payments for various packages.

• An option for annual boiler repair.

Cons

• Lack of annual payment option

• The price of the packages will increase after the first year

• The services are mostly for houses or flats, while businesses and other types of property are being neglected.

The size of boiler you need will depend on the size of your home, how many radiators and bathrooms you have and how many people live there. The boiler size refers to its output, which is measured in kilowatts (kW), rather than the actual dimensions. Speak to your boiler engineer about which boiler is suitable for you, as if you have more than one bathroom or a lot of people in your home a combi boiler might not suit you. Other boiler types such as system boilers or conventional boilers may be better suited to larger homes because they have bigger outputs.

How Much Is A Landlord Gas Certificate?

Do you know as a landlord in the UK, not only does the law requires you to conduct an annual check on all your gas appliances and chimney, but you’d also have to pay for it? Hence, giving birth to the commonly asked question, how much is a landlord gas certificate? With so many variances in CP12 certificate prices everywhere, it can be so confusing knowing the actual one you’re expected to pay. Just by surfing the internet alone you’d come across loads of ads claiming they can help you with a cheap gas safety certificate only to discover that reverse is the case when you reach out to them. Here, you’ll get to know the real amount you’re expected to pay for the annual checks on your gas appliances and chimney.

First and foremost, let’s look at what a Gas Safety Certificate really is. This is a certificate that’s given out to landlords and property management companies after a check has been carried out on all their gas appliances and chimney. This statutory check is expected to be done every 12 months to ensure the safety of all those who make ue of your rental property. Homeowners living in ther property are not required by the law to conduct annual gas safety check, but it’s highly recommended that you get in touch with a Gas Safety engineer to ensure the safety of both you and your loved ones.

As a landlord in the UK, to get all your gas appliances and chimney inspected by an approved Gas Safety engineer and obtain your Gas Safety Certificate, you’re expected to pay within a range of £55 to £65. However, you should note that this cost will increase depending on the number of gas appliances you have (about 30% increase for each additional gas appliance).