An Annual Heating Maintenance Checklist
A short list of checks each year keeps small issues from turning into breakdowns, and most of them take only a few minutes to do or to notice..
A short list of checks each year keeps small issues from turning into breakdowns, and most of them take only a few minutes to do or to notice.
Once a year, professionally
A boiler service and, where fitted, an unvented cylinder check are the two jobs that genuinely need a qualified engineer rather than a homeowner.
Things worth checking yourself
Pressure gauge reading, whether all radiators heat evenly, and whether the condensate pipe shows any signs of past freezing or blockage.
Before winter specifically
Bleeding any radiators with cold spots, checking loft pipe insulation, and confirming the heating controls' schedule still suits how the house is used.
Questions we get asked
Do I need to do all of this every year?
The professional service is worth doing annually; the homeowner checks are quick and worth doing but not a strict requirement.
What's the best time of year to do this?
Early autumn, before the heating season starts and before engineers get busiest with breakdowns.
Does this replace a boiler service?
No, this is a supplement to it, not a substitute for the manufacturer's required annual service.