This February has been announced to be the coldest one for a century and the last thing you want to happen is your boiler grinding to a frozen halt. Unfortunately, this is exactly what had happened to many landlords and residents in the recent weeks. The question is, what can you do to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to your boiler as well?
Here are a few tips from Direct Line for Business to keep your boiler in a good condition until Spring arrives:
1. Keep the heating on low.
The sudden cold temperatures can cause your boiler’s external condensate pipe to freeze, which could cause your boiler to stop working. To avoid this, either try and insulate the pipes or keep the heating on constantly but on a low temperature when it’s very cold.
2. Bleed the radiators.
If your home is not as warm as it should be, then try and bleed the radiators because there might be air trapped inside the heating system. To do so, you will need a key that can slot into the radiator’s bleed valve. If this doesn’t fix the issue, then you might need to call in the professionals.
3. Keep the boiler maintained.
Make sure you keep an eye on your boiler and maintain it in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations. Check regularly for any signs that there might be a problem, such as leaks, cracks, or noises. The sooner you identify the problem, the easier it will get fixed.
4. Turn off services when the property is empty.
If you have had an unoccupied property for longer than 30 days then you should drain the water system and switch the utilities off. However, in the winter months it is worth keeping the central heating system on at a minimum temperature to help prevent the pipes from getting frozen.