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You are required by law to have the boiler of your central heating system serviced every two years by an authorised installation engineer. Yet, in-between two checks too, it is important that you check your heating boiler at regular intervals. Performing the steps set out below will ensure the safe and energy-efficient operation of your boiler.
A regular heating boiler has an average water pressure of 1.5 bar. If the water pressure inside the pipes of the central heating drops too low, the boiler will not start. In that case, top up the water level. Consult the instruction manual of your boiler to see where the filling point sits or ask your installation engineer for advice.
Once you have topped up the water level of the installation, you then need to bleed the radiators. Too much air inside the pipes means the radiators will take longer to heat up and you lose energy. As you bleed the radiators keep a piece of cloth or a tray underneath the air vent and turn open the valve. Allow the air to escape, but close the valve as soon as you start drawing water. After bleeding the radiators, always make sure you check the water pressure, which may have dropped again, which means you will need to top up the water level again in turn.
It is perfectly safe to clean the exterior of your central heating boiler yourself. A damp cloth and some soap will do the trick, but avoid abrasive cleaners.
When water heats up, it expands. This produces pressure variations that are absorbed by the expansion vessel. If this vessel is defective, the pressure variations will cause damage to your central heating installation.
The leading cause why expansion vessels break down is because of a leak in the membrane. This is easily checked by tapping against the top and the bottom of the vessel with a solid object. The sound you hear at the top should be different from the sound you hear at the bottom. If this is not the case, the expansion vessel is leaking and needs to be replaced as soon as possible.
Unduly high or low temperatures inside your boiler may cause damage to the installation. This is why you should always set a suitable temperature. A normal average temperature for the boiler of a central heating system is around 60 degrees.
