I don’t know about you but when the weather’s cold outside I want nothing more than to relax in a nice warm house. The thing is; if your home is colder indoors than out, you know you’ve got a major heating problem. Especially in winter!
As with most things in life, heating systems don’t last forever. What’s shocking is that many people don’t maintain their boilers and heating systems. It comes as no surprise that those people have to suffer from heating system breakdowns often. And, as you might expect, that means spending a lot of money!
Of course, there will be times where you might “inherit” some heating issues. Like if you’ve just moved into a place and don’t know if the previous inhabitants did any maintenance. Is your heating system not as good as it should be? Don’t fret because there’s plenty you can do about the problem.
Today, I’d like to share with you some heating tips that I’ve learnt over the years. By following them, you’ll soon be roasty-toasty in your home! Here is what you need to know:
Get your boiler serviced
It doesn’t matter if you’ve just moved into your home, or you’ve been there a while. Do you know when was the last time your boiler got serviced? If you are unsure, that usually means it’s in need of a check-up.
There are many reasons why you should have an expert do some boiler servicing for you. First of all, they need to make sure that all the boiler’s safety systems are working. The last thing you want to do is get ill because of carbon monoxide poisoning!
Second, a faulty boiler can compromise the amount of heat available in your home. If it takes ages to heat up your radiators, you could have a blockage or a failed valve somewhere in the boiler. And, third, you aren’t a boiler engineer. You need to have a professional do the work for you. Otherwise, the consequences don’t bear thinking about.
Are you renting your home? If so, your landlord must have a Gas Safe registered expert service your boiler each year. It’s the law!
Bleed any air blockages in your radiators
Something you can do yourself is to remove any air trapped inside of your radiators. The thing about radiators is we demand them to work at all times. But, there will be occasions where trapped air can cause problems for the entire system.
Before you do anything, turn the heating on. That way, your heating system can start to build up pressure. Next, check each radiator for cold spots. If you notice any, especially near the top, you’ll need to “bleed” that radiator.
To do so, you’ll have to turn the heating system off and wait for the radiators to cool down. What you’ll then need to do is use a radiator key to open up the valve at the top.
Covering the key with a rag, turn the key slowly and you’ll soon hear a hissing noise. When that stops, you’ll start seeing liquid coming out. At that point, you need to close quickly the valve.
Get a new thermostat installed
The problem could be down to the thermostat you use rather than an expensive part of the heating system. Older thermostats have rotary controls while newer ones have LCD panels.
When you get your boiler serviced, get the engineer to check your thermostat. If it’s old and faulty, he or she can install a new one for you.
If you’ve got a smartphone, I recommend getting a “smart” thermostat. That way, you can customise and control your heating system using a smartphone app. It’s handy if you want to heat your home up before you leave work, for example.
You can get smart thermostats online or through your heating engineer. The latter is probably a better option as they might be able to get them cheaper for you.
Fix any draughts in your home
Last, but not least, you need to make sure your home is draught-free. If you have holes by your doors and windows, hot air will escape from your warm rooms. That means it will take longer to heat your home and will, of course, cost you more money.
Some people with old sash windows and wood doors may benefit from getting triple glazed ones. Sometimes the draughts might be down to the lack of glass insulation.
Well, I hope that today’s blog post has been of use to you. Let me know how you get on with these tips.
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