Warmflow Boiler Service & Maintenance
A Warmflow boiler with the right care and maintenance could heat your home for up to 15 years, making it quite the investment.
Arranging an annual boiler service is the best way to make sure that your boiler is running safely and efficiently, as a Gas Safe engineer the opportunity to inspect and test the unit.
What is a boiler service?
Boiler services involve a fully-qualified heating engineer coming to your property to carry out safety and efficiency tests on the boiler. Any signs of potential faults developing inside or outside the unit will also be brought to their attention.
Only a qualified engineer should carry out a boiler service, meaning that gas boilers can only be serviced by a Gas Safe registered engineer and oil boilers by an OFTEC engineer.
As Warmflow boilers heat homes using oil, then you'll need to hire an OFTEC engineer for the boiler service. A list of OFTEC engineers can be found on OFTEC's website but it's important to also ask to see their credentials before they get to work on your boiler.
A thorough boiler service tends to last around 30 minutes, however, this could be longer if the OFTEC engineer comes across any faults.
Boiler service checklist
Here are some of the key things an OFTEC engineer will be checking during an oil boiler service:
- Too much smoke or partially burnt fuel can lead to a build up of soot on the heat exchanger which restricts how much heat is passed to water. A clean heat exchanger means a more efficient boiler.
- The oil nozzle controls how much oil passes through the burner. Nozzles wear out as the boiler ages which will affect both efficiency as too much fuel may be passing through the boiler and can also affect the boiler's ability to operate as too much oil can cause a build up of soot on the heat exchanger.
- Photocells are a safety feature in oil boilers which detect when the boiler is lit. Photocells can become dirty over time and won't be able to tell if the boiler is lit or not. If an oil boiler is turning itself on and off for no reason this may be the cause.
- Electrodes are the components which produce the spark which ignites the oil. Electrodes will age and attract soot meaning that the boiler may not light.
- In addition to the boiler, your oil storage tank also need to be checked for signs of water contamination, oil leaks or filter elements which may need cleaning or replacing.
- Location
- Boiler type
- Age of the boiler
- The heating engineer
At the end of the oil boiler service, your OFTEC engineer will provide you with a boiler service report, listing all tests, checks and inspections carried out during the service. Don't hesitate to ask any questions you have about the service at this point before they leave.
Why is it important to service your Warmflow boiler?
Safety
There's no better reason to arrange a boiler service than safety. One big potential fault is a carbon monoxide leak which can lead to serious harm and even death. Carbon monoxide is a colourless and odourless gas, making it extremely hard to detect, proving the importance of a boiler service.
Keep heating bills low
Everyone wants to keep their heating bills as low as possible and a boiler service will definitely help. An ageing boiler loses efficiency as it requires more fuel to heat your home, adding to your heating bills. During a boiler service, the engineer will ensure that all components are operating as efficiently as they should be to help your heating bills stay low for as long as possible.
Prevent breakdowns
Another advantage of a boiler service is that a fault can be spotted before it turns into something major, saving you from a broken boiler and a large repair bill at some point in the future.
Warranty
Warmflow oil boilers come with a standard warranty of 24 months that can be extended to 5 years by applying on the Warmflow website.To keep your boiler warranty valid, the unit must be serviced by an OFTEC engineer once every 12 months, otherwise it will come to an early end.
How much does a Warmflow boiler service cost?
Typically, an oil boiler service could end up costing £60 – £120, with a few factors making a difference to the final price:
You could save yourself some money on the boiler service by arranging it during the summer months when heating engineers are likely to have more time for work. That way, you might not only be saving money but also have the confidence that your boiler is ready for the winter ahead.
NEVER attempt to service a boiler yourself – ALWAYS contact an OFTEC registered boiler engineer.
Boiler service plans
If you're the owner of a Warmflow boiler over 8 years of age and no longer under warranty, then you might want to consider a boiler service plan. Taking out a boiler service plan will save you from having to make a one-off payment when it comes to the service and instead pay a monthly fee for 12 months.
These plans not only cover the service but any repairs too, which is why they're ideal for customers who no longer have a warranty. However, by the end of the plan, it's likely that you will have paid out over £100 so paying for a boiler service might make more financial sense.
Boiler maintenance
A service is important for any boiler to have every year but you don't have to wait 12 months to know that your boiler is operating safely, carry out these simple checks yourself too:
Insulate your pipes
As cold winter temperatures set in, pipes become susceptible to freezing and if they do, your boiler could stop working. Prevent this happening by getting your pipes well insulated before winter.
Monitor the pressure
A quick check you can make is to cast your eye over the boiler pressure from time to time. This is a quick and easy check to make and can make all the difference. Most modern boilers tend to have a built-in pressure gauge, with a needle that shows the pressure. This should read somewhere between 1 and 2, any lower and there's low boiler pressure, any higher and there could be high boiler pressure. Either way, they could lead to your boiler not working if spotted too late.
Insulate your home as much as possible
A well insulated home will help to keep the heat in. If heat is being lost then the boiler will have to work harder to heat your home, costing you more money.
Annual servicing
No matter how often you're checking your boiler, there's no replacement for an annual boiler service. Don't let price put you off because it is possible to get a great deal on a boiler service.
At Boiler Guide, we want to help you get the best price possible for a Warmflow boiler service. Complete our simple online form for a free quote from a trusted local engineer.
