How to Maintain Your Boiler During the Off Season

When the days get warmer, it’s easy to forget about the cold temperatures of winter. We happily turn off our heating for the last time and don’t look back – until the weather gets cooler again.

Unfortunately, this long period of inactivity often doesn’t sit very well with the boiler and it’s not uncommon to find that when we try to turn the heating on again, it’s suddenly not working. This frequently happens at the worst possible time as well – when you’ve held off as long as possible to put the heating on.

To reduce the likelihood of the above scenario, there are certain things you can do to maintain your boiler during the off season. Keep reading to find out the most important steps you can take throughout the year to make sure that your boiler will work reliably when you need it.

Alternatively, if you need an emergency boiler repair, we can help – give us a call on 01202 721955.

1. Periodically Run Your Boiler 

One of the main reasons that boilers stop working in winter is because they've been left for so long without being used. Although it might seem counterintuitive, consider occasionally running your heating for just 10 – 30 minutes every couple of months to keep your boiler ticking away. This will also quickly highlight any problems to you well in advance of winter. 

2. Check Your Boiler Pressure 

Before turning your heating on, check your boiler pressure. The pressure gauge should read between 1 – 1.5 bar. If the pressure is too low, it will need to be topped up. This is possible to do by yourself at home – just make sure you closely follow your boiler's instruction manual.  

If the boiler pressure is too high, the best way to reduce it is by bleeding the radiators. 

3. Bleed the Radiators 

Air often gets trapped in radiators which can not only lead to high boiler pressure, but also cold sections of the radiator (meaning the boiler isn't working as efficiently). Therefore, making sure to bleed your radiators at least once throughout the year is a good way to maintain your boiler during the off season. 

4. Test Your Boiler Just Before Winter 

Don't wait until the weather is perishingly cold to put your heating on in winter. As soon as temperatures start to drop, in either October or November, give your boiler a test drive to make sure that everything is working smoothly. 

5. Book Professional Annual Maintenance

A professional annual servicing check for your boiler can be scheduled at any time of year, so you should make sure to get this booked in before winter rolls around. Getting your boiler checked sufficiently early will make it easy to fix any boiler issues before you get to a point where you need to rely on your heating.

Make M J Burt Part of Your Off-Season Maintenance

Hopefully this guide will have given you a clear idea of how to keep on top of boiler maintenance during the months it’s not in use. By following this advice, you’re less likely to encounter problems associated with boilers not working properly when you need them most.

At M J Burt, our expert team are highly experienced in all aspects of boiler installation, maintenance and repairs. We offer boiler servicing, which we recommend making use of annually to ensure your boiler is working at its best.

If there’s a problem with your boiler, we also offer an emergency call-out service, where we will be able to fix the problem as soon as possible.