When it comes to keeping your heating system running smoothly there are a number of things that you can do to try and ensure that your system is working to the best of its ability and hopefully make sure that your energy bills don’t skyrocket.
The first thing is to ensure that you have a Boiler Service Gloucester company such as https://www.hprservicesltd.com/gloucester-boilers/boiler-service-gloucester/ come in annually to look at your boiler and give it a service to ensure that it is safe to use and running efficiently. If there are any issues with your system they will be able to tell you and deal with any remedial works or they may suggest a new boiler depending on the extent of the issues and the age of your existing boiler.
Next you want to ensure that all of your pipes relating to your heating system are insulated to help prevent them from freezing during the cold weather. Frozen pipes can cause your boiler to have a major breakdown that will require and engineer to come and unseize the condensate pipes.
Lastly you should ensure that you regularly check the pressure in your system. You can do this relatively easily and adjust the pressure if you need to. Ask you boiler engineer to show you how to do this next time they come to do your annual service.
Flushing, filters and sludge protection
Beyond the annual service, a few other jobs keep a heating system efficient. A power flush, carried out by a professional, clears contaminated water and dirt from the pipes and refills the system with clean water. The result is fewer cold spots on radiators, quieter pipes, lower energy costs and less risk of the boiler breaking down.
A common cause of breakdowns is magnetite, often called black sludge, which clogs pipes and makes the whole system less efficient. Specialist cleaning fluids can be run through to clear it.
A gas engineer can also fit a magnetic filter, which attracts debris out of the water so the system runs more smoothly. That helps the boiler last and keeps future maintenance costs down. Because sludge keeps forming, adding a protective chemical against scale and corrosion after a flush is also recommended. With heating, prevention is far better than a cure.