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My boiler is leaking, what do I do?
A leaking boiler is certainly an inconvenience. It can cause damage to your home and to your boiler, and it might mean that the pressure on your boiler keeps dropping too. If you notice water coming from any part of your boiler or you suspect that there might be a leak, it’s important to address it quickly and get it repaired.
Check for Signs of a Leak
Sometimes, it’s obvious if your boiler is leaking. You can see water coming out or perhaps a wet stain where it looks like water has been leaking. There could be other signs of a leak that you don’t notice right away. One sign is the pressure of your boiler dropping quickly over a short amount of time. You might also see mould or other signs of water leaking out and collecting.
Steps to Take When Your Boiler is Leaking
When you have a leak in your boiler, it’s a good idea to leave the repairs to qualified heating engineers, boilers are complex pieces of engineering.
Before someone arrives to repair the problem, you can do a couple of things. You can turn off the water to prevent any further leaking and make sure that your heating is also turned off. Clean up any water that has leaked to prevent any damage.
Fixing your boiler as quickly as you can get it working efficiently again and help you to avoid further problems.
Signs You May Need to Replace Your Boiler
Boilers will not last forever, and all need replacing eventually. If your boiler is becoming less efficient, then that might be a sign you need to replace your boiler. If you notice that your bills keep creeping up, this could be a sign and it is time to start looking for a replacement. Older boilers are less efficient and, therefore, more costly to run. It’s worth weighing up what you spend on your yearly bills against the cost of a new boiler.
Older boilers may also need to be repaired a lot. Running repairs can become costly, especially if older parts are becoming harder to find. If your boiler is frequently breaking down, ask a specialist to test your boiler, diagnose any problems, and to advise if the cost of ongoing repairs may outweigh the cost of a new boiler. If you are ever unsure of your boiler’s safety or efficiency, it is always important to speak to a specialist and not attempt any repairs yourself.
If your boiler is just not working like it used to, then it might take longer for your house to warm up, or you might frequently have to adjust your boiler’s pressure. These may seem like minor niggles, but it is worth getting this checked out before the boiler breaks down entirely, leaving you in a cold house before a new one can be installed. Specialists can diagnose your boiler’s performance and recommend new installations to match your home and lifestyle needs.
Worcester Bosch Greenstar Lifestyle 8000
Designed to deliver optimal power with minimal fuel usage, the Worcester Bosch Greenstar Lifestyle 8000 is a leading boiler for residential properties. Available as a gas combi boiler or as an LPG model, its versatility ensures it’s a great choice for a wide variety of homes.
Given an A ErP rating for both heating and hot water, the lifestyle 8000 is a highly energy-efficient boiler that can reduce your household’s carbon footprint and even minimise your utility bills.
However, don’t let its energy efficiency fool you. It’s a powerful boiler that’s capable of providing sufficient heating and hot water to larger properties. If you have two or more bathrooms, for example, you’ll need a boiler that can cope with the increased demand and the Style 8000 can do just that.
With an optional Intelligent Filling System, it’s easier than ever to ensure you always have access to hot water and heating, no matter how many appliances, showers or sinks are running at the same time.
Additionally, wireless connectivity and compatibility with the Bosch EasyControl smart thermostat means that operating the Lifestyle 8000 is simple and straightforward. If you’re looking for a gas combi boiler that can be integrated into a smart home, this boiler fits the bill.
For homeowners, reliability and functionality are key when it comes to boilers and the 12-year guarantee that comes with the Lifestyle8000 will certainly give you peace of mind.
The difference between hard and soft water
You may well be familiar with the terms “hard water” and “soft water” without being sure what exactly they mean. You might have wondered, what determines whether water is hard or soft and whether or not one is safer or healthier than the other. The science behind it is actually rather simple: all water contains chemicals and minerals, and the concentration of those minerals is what contributes to whether water is hard or soft.
Hard water
The hardness of water is measured by the levels of calcium and magnesium that it contains. Water softening systems reduce the concentrations of these minerals from the water. Higher levels of these minerals make water hard. Some of the common signs of hard water include:
- An odd film on your hands due to the way that soap and calcium react together in the water.
- Mineral stains on your clothes and clothes that wear out more quickly
- Water marks on things like glasses and dishes after washing them due to small deposits of calcium carbonate
- Reduced water pressure in your home due to mineral deposits that form in your pipes and reduce their internal diameter and impact the water flow
Soft water
Unlike hard water, soft water tends to have higher concentrations of sodium in it. Signs of soft water can be:
- A healthy lather when washing clothes, dishes, and even your body
- Softer, less irritated, better pH balanced skin
- The water pressure in your home will stay more consistent
- You may experience a slight sodium taste in drinking water
Why your home might not stay as warm as it used to
Cold is always an unwelcome house guest, especially when it sneaks up seemingly out of the blue. You know how it goes – one moment you’re enjoying a well-heated space, and the next you’re piling on extra layers.
Aside from being an inconvenience, progressively losing heat is a sure sign that something’s not right. Aside from costing you more in heating, this could be the prelude to a much bigger problem if you don’t take action.
That’s why, if your rooms don’t stay warm for as long as they used to, you should ask yourself the following questions.
Have you draught-proofed your house?
Always start by considering your draught-proofing. Simple solutions such as draught excluders and thick curtains can certainly help to save you from the worst of a particularly cold snap.
Are your radiators functioning as normal?
Clogged or leaking radiators often contribute to heating issues. Blockages in particular can lead to patchy heating at best. Luckily, bleeding your radiator is often all it takes to overcome this, though you may want to seek professional help if problems persist.
Is your boiler doing what it should?
Lastly, look at your boiler. Wear, tear, and faulty parts can all lead to poor heating efficiency. Equally, a boiler that doesn’t fit your current needs could altogether fail to supply the heat you require.
In either instance, expert engineers are the best people to find a solution, offering the repairs and maintenance that you need to get things back up to heat at last.
What to Do If Your Water Pipes Freeze
Winter is here again, and although it can be a little chilly in some locations, it can be a bit colder in others. Temperatures can get frosty enough to freeze water in pipelines, which can be frustrating and lead to extra repairs. To avoid any mishaps, here are a few things you can do if your water pipes freeze.
Call the plumber
It is quite tricky to detect which parts of the pipelines are frozen, and without the right expertise, you may cause more damage. With the help of your plumber, you can use a thawing machine to melt out the frozen water stuck in the pipe. Be sure to close the main water supply but keep your tap open during the thawing process for the melted ice to seep through.
Apply heat to the frozen area
You can identify a frozen pipe when it’s coated with frost or looks slightly bulged. When you notice this, you can wrap heating cables around the pipes and keep it plugged in. You can also place towels soaked in hot water onto the pipes to melt the frozen water stuck in them safely. You can even blow hot air on them using a hairdryer, although this may only be effective depending on where the frozen pipe is.
Turn up your home thermostat
This method works well for pipes behind walls or in places that are hard to reach. By increasing the heat in your home, you increase the chances of melting an ice blockade. Do not begin the thawing process without shutting off the main water supply point, to prevent water from gushing out when thawing begins.
The winter season indeed comes with a lot of challenges for household pipelines. However, with these handy tips, you can prevent other damages from occurring.
How to save money on your gas bill
If you’re trying to save money, you should be looking at your household expenses to see where you could make savings. The gas bill is a good place to start in most homes, so here are some smart changes you can make to save yourself some money.
- 1. Insulate your door furniture. Cover your letterbox and any key holes. A surprising amount of heat can be lost through these small gaps!
- 2. Check your loft insulation. A lot of heat is lost through the roof in an uninsulated home. Around 270mm of insulation in the loft is best. If you add more insulation, make sure it isn’t compressed. Fit raised platforms, above the height of your insulation, for storage.
- 3. Check your wall insulation. A lot of heat in uninsulated homes is lost through the walls. If your home has cavity walls, have them filled. A solid wall can also be insulated, either internally or externally, but this is a more complex and expensive process.
- 4. Fit double or triple glazing. If your windows are in need of repair or replacement, think about fitting either double or triple glazing. Both options will cut heat loss through the glass.
- 5. Fit secondary glazing. If you add a second pane of glass into an existing window, this can be just as effective as a sealed replacement unit, but for a much lower cost.
There’s never a good time for your hot water to fail; it’s always inconvenient to some extent. Most people only have a vague idea of what to do, causing more frustration. Check out the top tips below to get your hot water back fast when it fails – if in doubt, don’t hesitate to call a professional engineer.
Check the Fuse Box
If there is no electricity reaching your boiler, it won’t heat or distribute water throughout your home. The most common reason is a blown fuse that you can check in the fuse box. It’s a fast fix to get your water back.
Check the Pilot Light
The blue flame in your boiler that ignites when the hot water is called the Pilot Light; if it goes out, it can cause a loss of hot water, but luckily, it’s easy to fix. Check your boiler’s manual for instructions.
Check the Boiler Pressure
A lack of boiler pressure can also cause a loss of hot water. The boiler pressure can be viewed on the built-in pressure gauge and should read between 1 and 2 bars; if it is less, try re-pressurising your boiler.
Look at The Hot Water Tank
If you have a Regular or Systems Boiler, it’s a good idea to check the hot water tank. These systems also have thermostats on the hot water tank that may need reset. Double-check the temperatures and timings on these thermostats.
Reset the Boiler
Resetting the boiler can be an effective fix if you suddenly have no hot water, but this is only possible if the reset button is accessible from the front of the boiler. If it is inside the unit, you will require a professional gas engineer.
Airlock in the Pipes
An airlock happens when a bubble of air gets trapped in the pipes and prevents the optimal flow of water – you find that your hot water runs slow. In this case, it’s best to contact a professional engineer.
Are your radiators failing to pump-out some heat over those chilly winter months? Your central heating system might need powerflushing or cleansing. Powerflushing/ cleansing clears out your central heating by pumping water through the system under high pressure. Here are just a few of the benefits of using powerflushing.
Save money. The better your central heating works, the less money you’ll waste on a poorly working system. You’ll also save money on more comprehensive repairs if the sludge damages the rest of the system.
Prolong the life of your central heating. Powerflushing/ cleansing is particularly useful for older central heating systems, as clearing out the debris may avoid the need for a complete repair. Keep older systems running as good as new throughout the winter months.
Keep your boiler running. Sludge and rust can damage your boiler over time, causing it to overheat or even shut off completely. Boiler repairs are far more expensive than a simple powerflushing or cleansing treatment.
Stay warm. A clogged central heating system will fail to give out adequate heat, especially if the whole, or part of, the radiator stops working correctly. Radiators can also take longer to warm up if clogged, and the actual hot water temperature may be reduced due to the debris in the system.
Quick, simple, and cost-effective. Powerflushing/ cleansing works with one simple machine and is quick to implement, leaving you with a sludge-free system that works properly. It is also far more cost-effective than central-heating repairs later down the line if the system is permanently damaged.
Only use a GAS SAFE REGISTERED ENGINEER to FIT, FIX and SERVICE your gas appliances. Click here for more info.
