As the weather cools, many of us start to think about turning the heating back on.
But if your boiler’s been off all summer then it might not be that easy. You see, when a boiler hasn’t been on for a while, it can be faulty or not work at all.
We’ve put together a few pointers for successfully restarting your boiler after summer.
Advice for turning your boiler back on
You don’t want to turn your boiler back on after summer to find that it doesn’t work. So, take a note of some of these tips…
- Start with a boiler service
Your boiler should be serviced every year by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
- Gradually switch your boiler back on
If your boiler’s been off during the summer, you should have been aiming to fire it up once or twice a month to help prevent a build-up of debris.
This will also flag up any potential issues before switching back on permanently when the weather gets colder.
- If you haven’t been doing this and it’s not too cold yet you could still fire it up a couple of times over the coming weeks.
Bleed your radiators if they need it
- You’re unlikely to notice if your radiators have stopped working effectively over the summer because they’ve probably not been on.
If you find that one or more of your radiators isn’t heating up in certain areas (or not warming up at all) then you might need to bleed your radiators to remove trapped air.
When it comes to radiators, it’s also worth noting that thermostatic radiator valves can get stuck if they’re left closed for too long which means that they won’t work when it comes to turning the heating on again. Try to keep them open as much as you can during the summer months.
Don’t turn the heat up too fast
It can be tempting to crank the heat up as soon as we start feeling the cold. But doing this could mean you set the temperature higher than necessary and end up wasting both energy and money.
Instead, try to turn your heating up one degree at a time. Generally, your thermostat should be set at a temperature you feel comfortable at. For most households this is between 18 and 21 degrees celsius (and slightly higher for the elderly).
It’s also important to remember that turning a thermostat up won’t make your home heat up any faster, it will just reach a higher temperature.
Check for any boiler problems
During a long period of inactivity (over the summer) is when problems with your boiler are most likely to happen.
Low boiler pressure
If your boiler’s pressure is too low then it won’t fire up.
Fortunately, increasing the pressure is something you can do yourself. Take a look at our guide to increasing boiler pressure.
Before you do increase the pressure, check the heating system for any signs of leaks. If you do spot a leak – no matter how small – turn the mains water supply off and call a heating engineer.
Christopher Craig | Senior Technical Engineer, Kinetic Gas Services Ltd
Mobile: 07907802749 | Email: chris@kineticgasservices.co.uk
What Causes Low Boiler Pressure?
A boiler that doesn’t have constant water pressure won’t be able to work as efficiently as it could do. Low pressure can often be an indication that there’s an issue with the system, which is why it’s important to find the cause.
What causes low boiler pressure?
There are two very common causes for losing boiler pressure: water leaks and bleeding radiators.
Water leaks
A leak from your pipes, boiler or radiators can often be hard to spot but take a look around your home for any damp patches and water. You should never attempt to look for leaks inside your boiler though, always contact a Gas Safe registered engineer.
Christopher Craig | Senior Technical Engineer, Kinetic Gas Services Ltd
Mobile: 07907802749 | Email: chris@kineticgasservices.co.uk
Bleeding radiators
When you bleed a radiator you’re releasing air and with it lowering the pressure in your system, which can create a drop in water pressure as a result.
These aren’t the only reasons your boiler pressure might be low so if you can’t find a leak and you haven’t been bleeding your radiators recently then consult a qualified engineer.
How to check for low boiler pressure
Most modern boilers have built in pressure gauges, so you can easily check the level yourself. If the pressure is below 1 bar, then your boiler is likely to have low pressure.
What to do if your boiler has low pressure
Once you know that the drop in pressure hasn’t been caused by a leak, or a leak has been fixed, you can re-pressurise your boiler to bring it back to the normal level (1 bar) – check the instructions that came with your boiler to find out the boiler pressure recommended by the manufacturer.
You can increase boiler pressure yourself by following our 8 simple steps below, but if you don’t feel confident enough then you should contact a qualified professional.
Christopher Craig | Senior Technical Engineer, Kinetic Gas Services Ltd
Mobile: 07907802749 | Email: chris@kineticgasservices.co.uk
To help you get your boiler pressure back to where it should be, this article will take you through how to check your boiler pressure, finding the cause of the problem and how to fix the issue.
How to increase boiler pressure
- Turn the boiler off and give it time to cool down
- Locate the filling loop – this is usually a metal hose with 2 valves attached (1 at each end)
- Attach the filling loop to your system, if it’s not already, ensuring it’s tight and secure (you might have to remove end caps from the pipes to do this)
- Open the valves on your filling loop (or valve if there’s just 1) to allow water from the mains into the heating system – you should be able to hear the water flowing into your boiler at this point
- Keep an eye on the pressure gauge, filling it until it reaches 1 bar is usually ideal – be careful not to over-pressurise
- Turn the valves back to their original position to stop the flow of water
- You should then release the filling loop – expect some water to come out of the loop. If water is continuously flowing, tighten the valves
- Replace any end caps you removed from your boiler pipes
Kettling
Noticed a sound like a kettle when turning the heating on? Then this is a strong sign of kettling. An issue that’s caused by a build-up of sludge or limescale on the boiler’s heat exchanger.
A build-up of this nature can restrict the flow of water within the heat exchanger, causing it to overheat, steam and boil.
If this is the case, then you’ll need a heating engineer to clean out the heat exchanger. They may also recommend a magnetic filter which will capture any debris before it has a chance to build-up.
This morning tenants who have a property with a gas contract in place have been notified. Glasgow Property Letting use Chris Craig of kinetic Gas services for out gas safety inspections as well as heating and plumbing issues.
Christopher Craig | Senior Technical Engineer, Kinetic Gas Services Ltd
Mobile: 07907802749 | Email: chris@kineticgasservices.co.uk
Fuel Costs
There is a great deal in the media at the moment about fuel poverty and rising costs that it is quite overwhelming. A useful link to find out if you can get assistance is :
Grants and loans from the Scottish government for tenants in arrears
The latest information about grants and loans fro the Scottish government can be found at
https://www.gov.scot/news/grants-for-tenants-in-rent-arrears/
It shouldn’t cost you to apply, but could help with the mental burden that having the arrears can create.
Remember to report any maintenance issues using https://glasgowpropertyletting.fixflo.com/Auth/HomeIssueCreate as with the report you create, we can send it to the appropriate contractor, your landlord and you also retain a copy .
Take care, and stay safe.
Michelle ODonnell
Branch Manager
17 Elmbank Street
Glasgow
G2 4PB
0141 221 3990
Registration number LARN1903009
VAT : 174415411
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