What is a Boiler Service?
Monday, March 31st, 2014
Here at DeWAR Plumbers we are always reminding people to get their gas boiler or oil boilers serviced on an annual basis. But what exactly is a boiler service? What do you get for your money?
In its simplest terms, a boiler service is a series of tests and examinations that are carried out in order to make sure that your oil or gas boiler is in proper working order. This ensures that you are not wasting any fuel needlessly due to inefficient boiling processes, which helps you keep the cost of your central heating bills down.
Some of the main things which your engineer will inspect when carrying out a gas or oil boiler service are related to your boiler’s location, clearance, and quality of ventilation. The engineer carrying out the boiler service will also give the inside of the boiler a professional inspection and clean in order to stop dust and dirt from accumulating and causing trouble. Once the boiler is reassembled, the functionality of the boiler can be tested, ensuring that everything is working at its maximum levels of efficiency.
A gas/oil boiler service nips minor problems in the bud and prevents them from becoming much more difficult (not to mention more costly in terms of finance) to fix complications including boiler breakdown.
It is worth noting that it is illegal for anyone to carry out a gas boiler service in Ireland unless they are a Registered Gas Installer who is qualified by means of the RGII (Registered Gas Installers of Ireland). In Northern Ireland, they must be registered with Gas Safe. All of DeWAR Plumbers’ gas contractors are fully registered gas installers.
Similarly, all DeWAR Plumbers‘ oil contractors are fully registered members of OFTEC (the Oil Firing Technical Association). While this is not a legal necessity that oil contractors in Ireland are registered with OFTEC, DeWAR Plumbers’ oil contractors are registered with them in order to offer our customers an extra bit of peace of mind when we are on the job.
Yearly Boiler Service Checklist
When having a boiler service carried out your gas or oil contractor will do the following:
Preliminary Visual Inspection:
- Ensure that your gas/oil boiler is situated in a suitable location.
- Ensure that your gas/oil boiler is well ventilated.
- Inspect the boiler and its associated parts for signs of damage.
Other Things that Will be Done in the Service:
- Check the location and condition of the boiler’s flue
- Look for spillages and other forms of moisture around the flue.
- In the case of a high efficiency condensing boiler, the condensate drainage system will be checked.
- Ensure that the boiler is not in close proximity of any flammable materials.
- Inspect and clean the boiler’s main burning compartment.
- Test the main burner to ensure that it is operating properly and adjust it (according to the manufacturers specifications) if need be.
- Inspect and clean the pilot burner along with any associated cabling.
- Check the heat exchanger and clean where necessary.
- Run the boiler in order to gauge the effectiveness of the flue.
- Ensure that the 3-amp fuse is installed correctly.
- Make sure that the boiler is electrically isolated.
- Check all associated electrical wiring for signs of damage.
- Ensure that said wiring is connected to the boiler unit correctly.
- Check the boiler’s thermostat and make sure that it is working properly.
- Check the boiler system’s pressure levels and ensure that they are balanced in accordance with the manufacturer’s specifications.
- Check the boiler’s expansion vessel and charge it where required.
- Ensure that the flue guard is fitted correctly.
- Lastly, a combustion efficiency test should be done.
Once all of the aforementioned duties have been carried out a Completion Certificate or Declaration of Conformance should be issued by the engineer.
Please note that while the aforementioned checks are what is normally required of a boiler service, no two gas/oil boilers are exactly the same. Some boiler units may require slightly methods and specifics in relation to the service. Whatever the make or model of the boiler being serviced, it is strongly recommended that the manufacturer’s specifications and recommendations be followed closely when servicing any kind of boiler.
DeWAR Plumbers offer boiler services which start at €69 when you .
If you would like to organise one please call our phone number 01 514 3300 or email us with a time and date that suits you.
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