Autumn storms bring the odd power cut, and when the lights come back on it’s easy to assume the heating will too. Often it does, but sometimes the boiler sits there doing nothing. Work through a few simple checks: is the boiler getting power, has the timer lost its settings,
As the heating goes back on for winter, boilers, fires and stoves start working hard again, and that’s when carbon monoxide (CO) risks rise. Fit an audible CO alarm in every room with a fuel-burning appliance, positioned as the manufacturer instructs, test it regularly, and have your appliances serviced every
Both LPG and oil give off-grid homes full central heating and hot water. Oil has typically been the cheaper fuel per unit of heat and lets you buy from any supplier. LPG boilers are more compact and cleaner-burning, and LPG allows combi boilers and gas cooking, but supply is often
Oil boilers need servicing every year because their burners are finely tuned and wear quickly. Over a year of use, the nozzle wears, filters collect sludge and soot coats the heat exchanger. Each one reduces efficiency, increases oil use and makes lockouts more likely, often on the coldest day of
Get your wiring checked if you notice circuits tripping regularly, scorch marks or discolouration around sockets or switches, a burning smell, buzzing or crackling, lights that flicker or dim, sockets or plugs that feel warm, or if you still have an old fuse box with rewireable fuses. These can all
If your boiler keeps losing pressure, water is escaping from the sealed heating system or a component isn’t holding pressure properly. The most common causes are a leak in pipework, a radiator or valve, air released by bleeding radiators, a pressure relief valve letting water past, or an expansion vessel
