7 Boiler Servicing Mistakes Homeowners Make

Booking a boiler service is the easy part. Getting real value from it depends on a few decisions before and after the engineer's visit, and those are where homeowners most often go wrong. None of these mistakes are unusual, and all of them are simple to avoid once you know about them.

Is skipping a year of servicing really a problem?

Yes, for three reasons. Most manufacturer guarantees require an annual service, so a missed year can void yours. Small problems such as a weeping seal, a partly blocked condensate trap or low system pressure get worse unnoticed. And a boiler that has not been checked is one nobody has confirmed is burning gas safely.

Boilers that run well rarely give any clue that combustion has drifted or a seal is deteriorating. That is the point of a yearly check. If you are unsure how the rules work, our guide on whether skipping a service voids your boiler warranty covers what to do if you have already missed one.

Why does it matter who services your boiler?

Because only a Gas Safe registered engineer may legally work on a gas appliance, and the register confirms they are qualified for that type of work. A cheaper offer from someone who cannot show a Gas Safe ID card is a false saving. The work may be unsafe and it will not count for your guarantee.

Ask to see the card when the engineer arrives. Check the photo matches, the card is in date and the back lists domestic gas boilers among their qualifications. You can also look them up on the Gas Safe Register using the licence number. Our older article on boiler repair mistakes to avoid covers the same principle for repairs.

What if the engineer does not use a flue gas analyser?

Then you have not had a full service. A flue gas analyser measures what the boiler is producing, including carbon monoxide and the ratio of carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide, and shows whether combustion is safe and correctly set. Without that reading, a service is little more than a look and a wipe.

Manufacturers set acceptable limits for their boilers, and the readings should be written in the Benchmark service record. If there is no printout or recorded figure, ask. Our guide to what flue gas analysis is explains what the numbers mean.

What should you do with advice and warning notices?

Act on them. An engineer who leaves a warning notice has found something unsafe or at risk, and may have turned the appliance off with your permission. Advice about a worn part, a flue that no longer meets current standards or a missing carbon monoxide alarm is written down so you can deal with it before it becomes urgent.

Putting the paperwork in a drawer does not make the problem go away. If you are not sure what a notice means or how serious it is, ask the engineer to explain before they leave. Our guide on what happens if your boiler fails its service goes through the different categories.

Why should you read the service report?

Because it tells you what was actually done. Many people sign the sheet without reading it, then later cannot tell whether the heat exchanger was cleaned, whether the pressure was topped up or whether the engineer suggested an intermediate service at the next visit.

Look for these things on the report or Benchmark page:

• the date and the engineer's Gas Safe registration number,
• the flue gas analyser readings,
• any parts cleaned or replaced,
• system pressure and any top-up,
• recommendations for next time, such as a strip-down service.

How can you make the service go smoothly?

Clear access to the boiler, the flue terminal and the gas meter before the engineer arrives. A boiler cupboard packed with coats, a flue hidden behind a new shed or climbing plants, or a meter box that will not open all slow the job down, and some checks cannot be completed at all.

Why is waiting until October a mistake?

October is when everyone else remembers their boiler. The first cold spell brings breakdowns, landlords' checks and last-minute services at the same time, so appointments fill up and any parts needed take longer to arrive. A fault found in summer can be fixed at leisure. The same fault found in late autumn leaves you waiting in a cold house.

A service in July or August also means the boiler has been checked before it starts working hard, rather than part-way through the season.

Booking a well-timed boiler service in Stoke-on-Trent

Our annual boiler service in Stoke-on-Trent is £90 and includes a flue gas analysis, a completed Benchmark record and a clear explanation of anything we find. Summer appointments are easier to get, and we cover the wider area too, including boiler service in Endon and boiler service in Blythe Bridge.

Call 07896 677083 to book a date that suits you.