Ravenheat Boiler Service & Maintenance
Give your Ravenheat boiler regular care and maintenance and it could heat your home for 10-15 years.
The best thing you can do for your central heating boiler is to arrange an annual service by a Gas Safe registered engineer. One boiler service each year will not only give you the peace of mind that your unit is operating safely but that it's running efficiently so that your heating bills are staying as low as possible.
What is a boiler service?
A boiler service involves hiring a qualified heating engineer to come to your home to assess the boiler and should be arranged annually. The engineer will carry out a series of tests and checks to make sure the unit is running safely and efficiently. Only qualified engineers should carry out a boiler service, which means that gas units should be serviced by Gas Safe engineers and oil boilers by OFTEC engineers.
As Ravenheat boilers run on gas, you need to hire a Gas Safe registered engineer. They will be listed on the official list of UK engineers that are able to work on gas appliances by law. It's simple to find out if the engineer that you want to hire is Gas Safe registered as they'll be listed on the Gas Safe Register website and you can ask to see their Gas Safe ID card when they arrive – we highly recommend doing both of these.
From start to finish, a thorough boiler service will last 30 minutes, plus any additional time should they discover an issue or fault with the unit.
Boiler service checklist
When you're happy that the engineer is fully competent to be carrying out the boiler service, they'll get to work carrying out standard inspections and tests.
- The first round of inspections involves checking for signs of corrosion, leaking and that the flame, or pilot light, is burning blue.
- If everything is up to order with the boiler's exterior, the engineer will remove the casing to check and clean the parts on the inside, including: heat exchanger, burner, main injector, safety devices and spark probe.
- Next, it's a case of ensuring that seals and pipework are all intact as well as ensuring that the flue terminals aren't being obstructed.
- The engineer will the take a reading of the gas pressure and flow settings, making sure that they're at the correct level and adjusting if they're not.
- To end the installation, the boiler will be fired up so that the engineer can observe it in operation to bring to light any operational faults, thermostat issues or required repairs.
At the completion of the boiler service, your engineer will provide you with a boiler service report. This report outlines everything that they did during the service and might be required as proof that a service has been carried out to keep the warranty valid.
Why is it important to service your Ravenheat boiler?
Safety
During a boiler service, any safety concerns, such as a carbon monoxide leak, will be brought to the attention of a qualified engineer so that they can be resolved. Carbon monoxide is the biggest threat to homes from the central heating boiler. This odourless and colourless gas can cause serious harm to the health of anyone breathing it in.
Any slight concerns you might have about a carbon monoxide leak shouldn't be put aside until your next boiler service, contact a Gas Safe engineer immediately.
Keep heating bills low
The longer a boiler is heating your home, the less efficient it's likely to become as it will require more fuel, increasing your heating bills. A service ensures that your boiler is operating efficiently to keep your heating bills as low as possible.
Prevent breakdowns
A boiler service will help to find any issues early, meaning that you could avoid a boiler breakdown and the resulting repair bill.
Warranty
A Ravenheat boiler often comes with a standard warranty of 2-5 years, depending on the unit you have installed. During the warranty period, you'll be covered should there be any faults caused by the manufacturing process. However, unless you have your Ravenheat boiler serviced annually by a Gas Safe engineer, the warranty period will become void.
How much does a Ravenheat boiler service cost?
The total cost of a boiler service will take into account where you live, the type of boiler and the engineer carrying out the work. Typically, the final cost will fall somewhere between £60 – £120.
Looking to get your boiler serviced for as little as possible? Then you should arrange it during the summer as heating engineers are likely to have less work on. A summer boiler service will also give you the peace of mind that your central heating system will be ready when the winter comes around.
It's worth noting that if the engineer finds any faults during the service then the cost of the repair will be in addition to the servicing price.
NEVER try to carry out a boiler service yourself – always find a Gas Safe registered boiler engineer.
Boiler service plans
If you're put off arranging a boiler service due to the cost, then you can take out a boiler service plan, or boiler cover. Rather than paying the one-off fee, you would make monthly payments for a 12 month period to receive an annual service and cover for any repairs that are required.
This is the ideal arrangement if your warranty period has come to an end and your boiler is 8 years or older. As these plans tend to end up cost over £100 a year, then you're probably better off paying the one-off annual service, especially if you're still under the manufacturer's warranty.
Boiler maintenance
In addition to the annual service, there are a few things you can do yourself to keep the boiler working as effectively and efficiently as possible.
Insulate your pipes
Frozen pipes can cause blockages which can lead to increased pressure, leaks and complete breakdown. You can easily insulate pipes with lagging such as mineral or glass wool, polyethylene or foam.
Monitor the pressure
Over time the pressure in the heating system will drop so you should check the pressure gauge on a regular basis. It should sit between 1 and 1.5 bar; if it's too low the boiler will struggle to fire and if it's too high it can cause damage. You can adjust the pressure yourself using your manufacturer's instruction manual.
Insulate your home as much as possible
If heat is escaping through window seals, letterboxes, chimneys or other draughts your boiler is having to work harder to keep you cosy.
Annual servicing
While there are many things you can do to help your boiler run safely and efficiently, there's no replacement for an annual boiler service. The thought of spending money each year on a boiler service might not sound appealing but great deals are out there.
Using Boiler Guide, you can get a free quote from a Gas Safe engineer in your area.
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