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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 stand alone 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.

If you’re looking to acquire smart thermostats in your home, but wondering about its money saving qualities, then this is for you! Not only do smart thermostats add new impressive features to your home, but it can also save you both energy and money. According to many reports using a programmable thermostat can save you between the range of £130 to £150 on an annual basis. Now think about using a smart thermostat that makes it a lot more easier for you.

Wondering how smart thermostat save money? Simply set your smart thermostat one or two degrees lower or higher than the usual number. Once done, you’re likely to notice 1% to 3% reduction in your energy bills. And if you want even more, you simply increase the percentage to about 10 degrees to 15 degrees to cover the period you spend at work and watch as you save up to 10 percent of your energy bills.

Generally, a smart thermostats will save you money in two major ways. These includes:

• They Do All The Thinking For You

The smart thermostat watches your behaviour and study the time you’re at home and when you’re not as well as your preferred temperature at particular times in a day, and that’s why they are termed as “smart. they’ll automatically adjust the settings to ensure you get home to a perfect temperature.

• They Keep Tabs On Your Usage

You can always count on a two way communicating smart thermostat to watch your usage while also collecting the data and sharing it with you. It informs you of your energy usage rate as well as the estimated amount. Once you’ve been notified, you can manual adjustment or leave it to the thermostat to help manage your energy.

What Size Of Oil Boiler Do I Need?

When it comes to oil boilers, there are three main types - the combi, system and conventional. Within these types, you’d discover there happens to be a wide range of sizes to choose from. First and foremost, we must note that the size has to do with the amount of energy they offer to your heating and hot water system rather than the physical dimensions.

The rule of thumb is, the larger your house (which implies the more hot taps, radiators and showers), the more powerful (bigger) the oil boiler you’d require. For instance, a four-bedroom apartment with three showers occupied by a family of four will definitely need a more powerful boiler than a a bungalow featuring a single occupant.

It is, however, important to also note that it’s not all about going for the biggest oil boiler. If you decide to choose an oil boiler with a much bigger capacity that needed, not only will you be wasting money on the initial purchase as well as installation, but also lose money operating it. And in a converse scenario, if you go for the cheaper and lower-powered oil boiler in an attempt to save up some money, you’re most likely to end up with tepid radiators while also frequently running out of hot water. Hence, the importance of determining the appropriate size of boiler for your particular household before purchase.

To determine the appropriate size, determining the number of bathrooms, radiators as well as the total number of people living in the property would be a step in the right direction.

Numbers of Radiators Combi System Boiler Regular

Up to 10 24 to 27kW 9 to 18kW 9 to 18kW

10 to 15 28 to 34kW 18 to 26kW 18 to 26kW

15 to 20 35 to 42kW 27 to 40kW 27 to 40kW

A terrible day would be walking into your home to discover your boiler is broken - nobody prays for that and even more so, when you’re fully aware a broken boiler can be one of the most expensive things to repair. However, when this occurs, a boiler plan is ready to help cover the repair cost - and that’s only if you’ve gotten one. Generally, cover plans feature only a monthly price which is quite affordable when compared to paying a huge lump sum at once. Furthermore, depending on your cover level, you may not be required to incur call out charges or any other expensive services rendered. And in the event whereby your boiler can’t be repaired, there’ll be plans in place to get a replacement unit. As a result, getting a boiler cover is a great way to give yourself a peace of mind and see to it that you’re not left in the cold when the worse happens.

So the answer to whether or not you should get a boiler cover is totally a positive one. The purchase of a new heating system can be quite costly, but it would even be costlier when you have to repair it ceaselessly throughout it’s service years. With several modern combi units being a complicated heating system to repair, getting a cover plan with unlimited call outs, zero excess as well as cover parts and labour would be a truly wise decision.

In addition, an annual service of your heating system is required by manufacturers in order to make the warranty valid. Therefore, just a basic service plan is very crucial if you do not buy the idea of having to fork out at least £70 for each service.

To ensure that your boiler is safe and operating efficiently, it’s essential to have it serviced on a regular basis.

Generally, a boiler service will deliver a wide array of benefits which includes the opportunity to identify safety issues like a possible leak of carbon monoxide, efficient use of energy and reduction in energy bills, prevention of breakdowns, a valid warranty when the boiler is serviced regularly by a qualified engineer as well as an extended lifespan. So what exactly does a boiler service cover? This guide will give you a good insight as to what happens during that service.

Before we get started, it’s very important to note that the work done is always as good as the engineer you employ. Therefore, it’s advisable to make sure your preferred engineer is qualified before proceeding with the service. Below are some of the basic practices the engineer may perform during their visit.

• Thorough Inspection

During the visit, the engineer will carry out a detailed examination of your boiler to ensure it still meets the current standards while also making sure that there are no leaks or corrosion. What’s more? They’ll also examine the boiler’s flame for any faults.

• Boiler Casing Removal

The boiler casing will be detached to check all components and ensure they’re free from all forms of dirt and see to it that they’re all working just as they should. This will include examination of the heat exchanger, main injector, burner and spark probe.

• Flue Examination

The engineer will inspect the flue terminals to make sure there are no form of obstructions and it’s also safely installed.

• Gas Pressure Examination

This is done to make sure the heating system is operating at the right pressure.

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.

How Long Does A Gas Safety Certificate Last?

As a result of faulty installation and irregular maintenance of gas appliances and chimneys, a lot of people have been met with an untimely death caused by the toxic gas - carbon monoxide. This is a gas that’s completely odourless, colourless and tasteless - meaning you can’t identify one of its in the environment. But what you should know is, if you stay in an environment filled with carbon monoxide, you’d probably be dead within a couple of hours. Consequently as a landlord, you must do what’s best to ensure the safety of all your tenants by making sure that all your gas appliances and chimneys are subjected to annual check by an approved Gas Safe engineer as required by the law.

Wondering how long a Gas Safety Check will take? The safety of your gas is guaranteed by carrying out regular examinations. Whether or not you possess a gas alarm, it’s still vital to conduct regular gas safe checks to make sure your home is safe. A typical gas safe check would last between 30 to 60 minutes for a normal domestic property. However, in the situations whereby a need for repair arises, it may take longer time to complete. Other factors that can also affect the timing includes includes both the size and location of your property.

So how long does a gas safety certificate last? The simple answer to this question is 12 months. If you own a rental property in the UK, it’s up to you to ensure all your gas appliances and chimney is check after every 12 months to obtain a Gas Safety Certificate which you should hand out a copy to all tenants living in your property. However, if you don’t own the property, you can inform your landlord to get one as soon as possible while also providing a carbon monoxide alarm.

How Much Is A New Oil Boiler?

An oil boiler is a very useful tool for providing both central heating and domestic hot water to a property by burning oil. As a result, they’re simply one of the most common alternative heating methods used in homes throughout the UK. If you’re not connected to the mains gas network, then it’s a no brainer to depend on another fuel for central heating purposes - oil. Therefore, if you’re looking to get a new oil boiler, you’d need to identify the size and price as there are a plethora of models to select from - all coming in a large array of sizes and prices. We’ve put together some important details about the prices to give you a good insight on the amount you’d have to incur to procure a new oil boiler. Let’s have a look!

Generally, gas boilers are less expensive when compared to the oil boilers. You can get a wide range of gas boilers from a starting price of £500 to £600, meanwhile you’d rarely find an oil boiler less than £1000 in the market.

The lowest priced oil boilers are typically priced starting from around £1000, and the best in class oil boilers normally costs more than £3000.

The rule is, the most expensive oil boiler is typically the largest one. So to have an idea, the bigger it is, the more money you’d have to spend. Oil boiler’s size is measured in kilowatts (kw), which showcases its power. To determine the type of oil boiler that best suits your home, the most significant factor would be the size as a bigger home will require a bigger oil boiler. You have an option to choose between the combi, conventional and the system models of oil boiler.