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How To Make Oil Boiler More Efficient?

During the winter months when the nights get darker and colder, it’s more likely your oil gets used up a lot more quickly. This can be very worrisome as it implies having to spend more money to refill. So what exactly can be done to make your oil boiler more efficient and save you some money?

• Regular Servicing Of Your Oil Boiler

Getting your boiler serviced by a manufacturer approved engineer on an annual basis is one of the easiest and quickest ways to ensure that your oil boiler is operating at its maximum efficiency level. When a full servicing is provided for your oil boiler, checks are made to ensure that all components are functioning the way they should while also identifying the bad or worn parts that may be hindering your oil boiler from functioning in an effective manner. As a result, it helps you see to the fact that your boiler is not consuming more than necessary to make sure your oil boiler lasts longer.

• Set Your Thermostats Correctly

When you set your room thermostats and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) the right way, you’ll be sure to get a comfortable home without having to make use of much fuel.

• Consider Smart Technology

If you decide to make use of smart technology like Nest or Hive, you can save more money when compared to their more conventional counterparts. These smart technologies incorporate highly advance intelligent systems to get more familiar with your lifestyle, habits as well as heating operations in order to ensure optimum efficiency at all times.

• Put Your Radiators To Good Use

Try as much as possible to avoid some oversights that can make your radiators consume more energy than required. Consequently, you have to keep them clean, give them space and also take care with curtains.

Can You Get Oiled Fired Combi Boilers?

Absolutely! Oil fired combi boilers are not only a super cool alternative to gas heating, but also offer a cost-efficient means of heating your home. And this is best enjoyed especially if you’re one of the estimated 4 million houses that are not connected to the gas network.

Oil fired combi boiler enables you store fuel close to your property and fill it as required. There many A rated model options available in the market with the modern oil fired combi boilers confirmed to be up to 95% efficient. As a result of their multiple advantages over alternative heating systems, the oil fired combi boiler is expected to increase significantly in the UK. Here are some of the advantages of adding the system to your property.

• Oil fired combi boiler heats up water on demand while also saving a lot of fuel and being super energy efficient.

• Since oil needs more fuel than gas, a great return would be derived from every unit of energy.

• When compared with the other types of boilers, oil fired combi boilers have a considerably lower operating cost.

• A new oil fired boiler typically has a 92% to 95 % efficiency, which is significantly better than the 60% to 70% in older systems.

If you have an idea of how to operate the gas-powered alternative, then operating an oil fired combi boiler shouldn’t be an issue. In a similar way to the alternative, the boiler simply delivers the central heating through the radiators and hot water via your household’s taps.

However, the major difference between the two is the fact that the oil fired boiler needs a regular supply of oil, which is stored in a tank. The hot water supplied by the system is instant as it is connected to the water mains supply.

How To Install An Oil Boiler Heating System

Just like several other skills, the installation of an oil boiler heating system can be a challenge. It requires enough persistence to actually get right, so if you’re the type with little patience, we’d recommend you hire the services of a professional oil boiler heating system fitter who can guarantee the best results and save you time and extra money due to potential damages.

To install your boiler system yourself, it’s always advisable to start by getting the information on the best installation processes from the supplying company which will go a long way to save you from future headaches. However, we’ve put together this guide to give you a basic knowledge on how its done. Let’s have a look!

lRead Instruction Manual

• Carefully read and digest the instruction manual thoroughly.

• Make sure you understand the installation diagrams

• Spread out the materials and get familiar with them.

lFigure Out What Goes Where

• Take your time to determine where everything goes in relation to the others.

• Identify the new radiator’s position.

• Get sufficient sealants to prevent possible leakages inside the walls.

lIdentify The Pipe Routes

• Determine the pipe routes while fitting the new radiators

lInstall The Boiler

• Turn off water and all electrics

• Fit the boiler into the wall

• Make sure the fittings are secured.

lInstall The Radiator

• The effectiveness of your home’s heating system is as good as the radiators you incorporate and how good they’re installed.

• You may have to utilize extra radiators in large open plan kitchens and living rooms (for effective heating).

lOffer Ventilation

• Once you’ve successfully installed the new radiator, a small dose of air ventilation would be needed.

• Turn the key of each valve located at the bottom, do not stop until a little amount of water spills over the top of the unit.

Do British Gas Service Oil Boilers?

Are you interested in finding out whether or not the British Gas service oil boilers? Well, you’ll find the answer in this article! The British Gas engineers are able to repair several types of boilers such as home based combi, conventional as well as system boilers. Unfortunately, they do not fix oil boilers, electric boilers or solid fuel boilers, but if you possess a gas boiler that’s more than 70kW which is mostly present in commercial premises or large buildings you can give them a call.

For a yearly boiler service British Gas engineers will provide the following solutions to ensure central heating and boiler are both in proper working condition and also absolutely safe.

• Inspection of your boiler for possible leaks and corrosion.

• Detach your boiler casing to ascertain the proper functioning of it’s main components.

• Clean up all parts as necessary

• Attach the casing back to the system and make sure its well sealed

• Inspect the level of the gas pressure to ensure that it’s at the right level.

• Perform a flue check to determine that the are no toxic gas emissions like carbon monoxide being discharged by your heating system.

Upon completion of the annual boiler service, the British Gas qualified engineers will then drop a checklist with you which is going to include all the relevant information you may want to know about your boiler system.

In some cases, British Gas engineers may be able to complete the entire boiler service in one visit. However, it all depends on the problem that’s discovered (if any). They may not possess the required part to fix the problem with them, so they’ll have to order it from the British Gas national distribution centre. Most times, this part will get to them the next day so they can finish their tasks as soon as possible.

The Oil Firing Technical Association or OFTEC operate a competent persons scheme to certify installers. It’s always recommended to use an installer with this certification as it proves they have the training and expertise to properly install your boiler and give you realistic advice on the efficiency of your system. Also, OFTEC registered installers offer Workmanship Warranties to protect you if there are any problems after installation.

Breakdowns of boilers are quite common during the winter months and are usually very expensive to repair when this occurs. According to the research carried out recently by uSwitch, repairing a boiler can cost an average of about £314 with a figure over 20 percent of homes experiencing various heating system issues last year.

To answer the question of whether or not your existing home insurance will be enough to cover the boiler breakdown, the answer is probably not. This is due to the fact that heating system faults or breakdowns is a very common occurrence and as a result of poor maintenance practices as well as a high repair cost, several insurance companies often remove it from their home insurance policies.

Generally, you’d be given an option of what is termed as “emergency home cover which is an add on or extra to your home insurance policy. Luckily, this add on is quite inexpensive and may be as little as £4 or £5 per month. Depending on your need or budget, you can also purchase the add on as a “stand alone from your current insurer or another company. However, the standalone option is usually more expensive.

The emergency home cover normally provides coverage for the boiler repair cost and few times, the rest of the central heating system as well. Being fully aware how important a boiler can be, insurance companies usually deliver a rapid response service as suggested in the name, “emergency home cover. However, the maximum pay-out for call out charges is capped at a particular amount which usually ranges from £500 and £1,000. Apart from the call out fees, the emergency cover also includes a limit on the pay-out amount for future required repairs of heating systems which includes both parts labour.

Are you worried about blocked drains? Yes, you probably should! As a homeowner ( with a detached, semi detached or terraced house), all plumbing and drainage issues within your home or even within your property boundary is your responsibility. Hence, you’d might want to consider getting a Homeserve plumbing and drainage cover to help keep your home running smoothly and putting your mind at ease. The only exception here is if the drain in question is a lateral drain which is a common feature in flats. In this situation, it’s only the building managers that would be responsible for the maintenance of the drainage as it’s shared between several homes. Before 2011, the various flats or houses that shares the lateral drain are responsible for its maintenance.

Working with top utility companies for over 2 decades, Homeserve has positioned itself as one of the leading home assistance providers in the United Kingdom. With their top notch services, they’ve been able to make their client’s lives a lot easier and stress free through the provision of a wide array of repair solutions such as drainage, plumbing, heating, electrics and a lot more.

As a homeowner with the responsibility of maintaining the drains and ensuring there’s no block or damage, it’s simply a no brainer to go for a plumbing and drainage cover and more importantly, get good cover. Homeserve are one of the providers but there are a number of others which offer great service at competitive prices. Without an insurance in place, you may just have to break the bank just to have an engineer or plumber to fix any plumbing or drainage issue you might have. So why not give yourself a peace of mind and get a cover today?

What Is A Gas Safety Certificate?

Do you wish to know what a Gas Safety Certificate is and if you need to get one?

If you’re in the UK and you own a rental property, you have a statutory obligation to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate. The law ( Gas Safety - Installation and Use, Regulations 1998) stipulates that landlords as a matter of necessity should have all their gas appliances, fittings,and property flues subjected to yearly checks in order to ensure that they’re are totally safe.

The Gas Safety Certificate can be referred to in a number of ways which includes Landlord Gas Safety Record ( LGSR) or CORGI PROFORMA 12 (CP12). The later dating back to when the official body for gas safety in the UK was CORGI. However, the official body is now known as Gas Safe, hence it’s now usually called a Gas Safety Certificate or something along that line. But regardless of whatever you choose to call it, as long as you reside in the UK, it’s crucial to know that if you need one as soon as possible. So how do know if you need a Gas Safety Certificate?

If you’re a homeowner with a property that you live in, you’re not required by the law to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate. There’s nothing like a homeowner’s gas safety certificate, however we’d recommend you subject all you gas appliances and pipework to yearly examinations to ensure they’re functioning properly and safely.

If you’re a landlord in the UK, you’re required by the law to get a Gas Safety Certificate to ensure your property is safe for your tenants. You must reach out to an approved Gas Safe engineer who’ll carry out annual checks on your appliances to ensure that they’re totally safe.