Don't leave it too late to get your heating system serviced

The Heating Helpline recommends getting your boiler serviced or replaced during the summer months when heating engineers are far less busy.

25 May 2010 – If you have ever had your boiler break down in the middle of the winter you will know that it’s no fun being in a house or flat with no hot water and no heating. This is the time when heating engineers are rushed off their feet – dealing with breakdowns and repairs – so getting one to come out “instantly” while you shiver with cold is not always possible. For this reason the Heating Helpline (www.heatinghelpline.org.uk) – the home heating advice service backed by the Heating and Ventilating Contractors’ Association (HVCA) – advises homeowners to get their boiler serviced well before next winter sets in. Bob Towse, technical consultant to the Heating Helpline, advises, “Heating engineers are much less busy during the summer months, so not only is it a good time to call in a professional heating engineer but also you can normally expect to pay less for a boiler service. “Not only will a regularly serviced boiler be far less prone to breakdown but it is also worth bearing in mind that with very high energy prices it can be false economy to go for extended periods without getting the boiler serviced – a well maintained boiler will be much more efficient and the long-term savings can be significant. “Of even more importance are the safety implications of a boiler that has not been serviced, or at least checked by a qualified engineer, for some time – around 50 people in the UK still needlessly die every year from preventable carbon monoxide poisoning caused by defective domestic gas appliances and poorly ventilated systems. “So why wait until the middle of winter? Visit the Heating Helpline website to find a reputable engineer and arrange to have your boiler and heating system serviced today”. The Heating Helpline provides consumers with free, impartial advice on every aspect of home heating. On the website homeowners can put in their postcode and it will produce a list of reputable, Gas Safe Registered engineers in their chosen area. Visit the Heating Helpline website at www.heatinghelpline.org.uk or call 0800 840 4069. Ends