What happens in a boiler service?

A boiler service and a gas safety check get muddled up, and they aren’t the same thing.

Safety check or service?

A gas safety check confirms the appliance is safe on the day. The engineer checks it’s burning properly, the flue is working and nothing is leaking, and writes it down. Landlords are legally required to have one every year.

A service goes further. The case comes off, and the working parts get inspected and cleaned where they need it, so the boiler keeps running properly as well as safely.

What a service usually covers

• The case off and the inside inspected
• The burner and heat exchanger checked, and cleaned if needed
• Gas pressure and gas rate tested against the manufacturer’s figures
• The flue checked, and the flue gases tested
• Seals and safety devices checked
• System pressure set correctly
• Someone telling you in plain English what they found

That last one matters. If the engineer leaves without saying anything, you’ve learned nothing about your own boiler.

Do I need one every year?

If the boiler is still under warranty, check the paperwork. Most manufacturers ask for a yearly service to keep the warranty valid.

Out of warranty it’s your call, but a service can pick up small faults, like a pressure that keeps creeping down or a seal starting to go, before they turn into a breakdown in the middle of winter.

When to book

Late summer or early autumn is ideal. The rush comes with the first properly cold week, when everyone turns the heating on at once.

Price

It depends on the boiler. Send me the make and roughly how old it is, and I’ll give you a price when I ring back.