Wednesday 8 December 2021

AD/ DOES YOUR BOILER NEED REPLACING?

It has finally hit December, and of course that means Christmas prep and getting ready for the big day but It is also that time of the year where the the heating gets cranked up full whack and we are constantly trying to keep warm.

All the fluffy soaks and dressing gowns are in sight and it’s huddling on the sofa with blankets season.

Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love this time of year. We really are a family who loves celebrating the holidaysand are all for the hot chocolates and marshmallows and the cosy darker evenings, but wow it gets cold!.

Does anyone else feel the cold as much as me?. We have already had snow twice in the past 3 weeks and I am really not feeling it at all ,well of course the snowman making is fun with the kiddies but my god it is freezing!.

More heating means more boiler work and yes, we all know they can last for years and years, some even as long as a decade!, but for efficiency’s sake and finances , when is best to replace one?


A boiler is definitely the heart of the home’s central heating system but chances are you probably wouldn’t know if you need a new boiler,and if there are any signs to let you know it, as we don’t get told this.

We definitely are a nation that relies on google to give us our answers and solve our problems.

So before booking in for a boiler replacement ,see if any of these tale tell signs sound familiar.

We all know central heating systems make some funny noises that are normal ,but a boiler and radiators making strange noises are also a sign that something wrong could be happening.

You turn on your heating and the radiators might be taking twice as long to get hot and you are constantly having to adjust the boiler pressure or the light keeps going out completely.

It might just mean that your radiators need bleeding which can be quite common in the winter and is easy to do so by using a bleeding valve. I can do it , so if I can then anybody can :)

You can pick these up for a couple of pounds anywhere .

Keep an ear out for sounds like tapping in the pipes which is an indication of a build up that could be fixed just by flushing the system.We’ve had this before and the children were adamant that we had someone living in the attic- I think they have seen  way to many horror films, but I will admit, we did check the attic! :)

Humming , clunking and banging sounds are worth looking into if you haven’t heard them before and they become quite regular too. They could mean wear and tear or something more serious which would cost you a lot more if left .

Any kind of smell coming from the boiler or if you feel like there’s a smell and not sure if it could be the boiler  then this needs to be checked out immediately as you could have a gas leak. 

Gas leaks are extremely serious and get out as soon as you think you can smell something . It is better to be safe than sorry.

Any faint smell could also indicate a carbon monoxide leak. If this happens then turn off the boiler and call the emergency gas line ASAP.

Symptoms of these can be things like headaches , shortness of breath and feeling nauseous.

Finally , if you are struggling to find parts for your boiler then it’s definitely time to trade the old fella in and think about replacing it .

Some boilers might last a lifetime but the older they are the harder it is to find the parts. 

We’ve recently had our boiler changed because our handy man could only fix the issues with second hand parts so it was only a matter of time before a new replacement was needed.

PS , did you know you could be entitled to an eco grant if you meet certain income requirements?. This is a free boiler grant that can help towards the cost of a brand new gas boiler installation. 

I hope this post has given you an insight and helped with any issues you might be having with your boiler and not knowing where to start for answers ..

5 comments:

  1. I've no idea what to look out for so these tips are helpful. The husband normally fixes issues if there are any and we have quite anew boiler thankfully.

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  2. It can make such a difference having your boiler replaced to your home can't it? Definitely something people should check on if they need to replace.

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  3. We were quite lucky when we bought our house last year as it had had a new boiler fitted not long before, but it's so important to check as you could be spending more to use an older one if it takes longer to heat x

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  4. Boilers are so important to keep on top of, thank you for all the information here.

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  5. I don't have a boiler but I know how important it is to have your heating system serviced at the beginning of each winter. I can't even imagine how it would be for the heating to fail in the middle of a snow storm, or when the temperatures go on minus.

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