Throughout the winter you will likely be using a lot more energy in your home – from heating your property and using more hot water to extra lighting in those dark mornings and evenings.
Your boiler is one of your home’s key systems during colder months and it is important to look after it so that you don’t end up with an unexpected bill, or a very cold house. Here are some useful tips to look after your boiler.
Tips to looking after your boiler
- Have regular services – Just as your car needs servicing to keep it running well, so does your boiler. Make sure you use a qualified engineer, and if it’s a gas boiler, use a gas registered specialist.
- Regularly check for damage and listen for odd noises – When your heating turns on listen to what it sounds like. If your boiler starts making a clunking or other unfamiliar noises, get it checked out by an engineer. This is the same for any cracks or other damage you see to the boiler. Identifying and solving problems quickly should save you money in the long run.
- Turn on heating for short periods of time throughout the year – Even during warmer months you should regularly turn on your heating for 10 minutes at a time to make sure it is running efficiently. Your heating will likely suffer more issues if you don’t switch it on at all for months.
- Check your insurance – See if your boiler is covered under your home insurance or you can consider specific boiler breakdown cover to protect you from large, unexpected bills.
Other useful heating tips
As well as checking your boiler regularly, you should
- Bleed radiators to disperse trapped bubbles which cause heating systems to run less efficiently.
- If you have oil heating, top up with oil before winter when prices are usually lower.
- Install a temperature controlled thermostat with regulators on each radiator to evenly distribute heat and save money on overheating.
- Use a smart meter to control the heating when you are not in the house.
- Do big maintenance tasks in early autumn to get ready for the cold period. It is not only harder to find engineers to attend immediately during winter, but you don’t want to be left without heating or hot water.
Be prepared for winter
Your heating system isn’t the only thing to consider in your home this winter. With cold, wet and stormy weather comes some other common problems. Speak to your broker about protecting your home from
- Flooding – If your property is liable to flooding, excessive rain will cause you concern. It might also be difficult to find insurance that will cover you. Speak to the AllMedPro team who can find flood cover for many hard to insure properties.
- Roof leaks – Excessive rain and cold weather can exploit weaknesses in your roof. Keep an eye on damp areas or holes in the roof and get them repaired before they become a bigger problem.
- Cracked pipes – Water pipes can freeze and crack in cold weather. Keep an eye on your visible internal and external pipes and speak to an expert about options to protect them, such as lagging.
- Storm damage – Falling trees is a common problem during storms that can cause damage to properties. Make sure any trees close to your home are stable and keep them cut back so they can’t reach the house.
- Any other damage you believe your house is vulnerable to.
If your property is vulnerable to common winter problems, contact the All Med Pro team who will be able to advise you on your insurance options, and guidance on reducing your risks.