What a boiler service includes
Servicing for all types of boilers may include, but is not limited to:
- Check operation of safety limit controls
- Check pressure relief valve
- Check water pressure and temperature set point
- Check expansion tank
- Check operation of thermostat
- Lubricate circulating pump as required
- Check radiant floor temperature control
- Check pressure switches and vent blower (if applicable)
- Inspect burners and clean if required
- Examine vent connector and inspect venting system
- Check vent damper operation (if applicable)
- Check and adjust pilot light (if applicable)
- Check flame rectification
- Measure stack (flue) temperature
- Check gas piping to boiler
- Check and adjust manifold gas pressure
- Clock appliance to verify correct input
- Confirm combustion and ventilation air is adequate
- Check for elevated carbon monoxide levels
- Inspect heat exchanger
- Check temperature difference between supply and return piping
- Clean equipment interior and exterior
Why service your boiler every year
Efficiency
A clean burner and heat exchanger, with gas pressure set correctly, turns more of your gas into heat. Condensing boilers in particular lose efficiency when they're not maintained.
Reliability
Many breakdowns happen when a boiler is pushed back to work after sitting idle all summer. A service before winter catches worn parts first.
Safety
We test safety controls and the pressure relief valve, inspect the venting, and check for carbon monoxide.
Warranty
Many boiler warranties require proof of annual professional service. Skipping it can leave you paying for a repair the manufacturer would otherwise cover.
Looking after the whole hydronic system
A boiler is only one part of a hydronic heating system. During a service we also look at the circulator pumps, zone valves, expansion tank and system pressure, and at the condensate trap and drain on condensing boilers. Over time, sludge and debris can build up in the water inside your pipes and radiators. If we see signs of it, such as cold spots on radiators or a dirty strainer, we'll recommend a system flush and, where it makes sense, a dirt separator to protect the boiler's heat exchanger.
When to book
Late summer and early fall are the best time to service a boiler, before the heating season starts. Booking early gives us time to fix anything we find, and gets you ahead of the wave of breakdown calls that comes with the first cold weather. If your boiler also heats your domestic hot water, it's working all year, so don't wait until winter to have it checked.
