Central heating tips

Stay warm when the weather gets cold

You may not think about your central heating system too often, but you'll certainly notice if it goes wrong.

To help keep it in good shape, try to get your boiler serviced in the summer to ensure that it's working efficiently before the winter comes.

During the summer too, put the heating on for 15 minutes once a month. This will show the system is working properly and should help clear any debris from the boiler pump.

Improve your energy efficiency

  • Insulate your loft to reduce heat loss from your home
  • Use radiator insulation foil behind your radiators to direct all of their heat into your rooms
  • If you've got a hot water cylinder in your airing cupboard, make sure it's got a thick thermal jacket secured around it and its thermostat isn't set higher than 60 degrees
  • Check if your radiators feel warmer at the bottom and cooler at the top when your central heating is on. If they are, bleed them to improve their efficiency

Common causes of problems

A control switch for a boiler

  • Is the power light lit up on the boiler? If not, has a circuit protection device tripped that you can reset?
  • If the boiler has a pilot light, is it lit? Follow the manufacturer's instructions if you need to re-ignite it
  • Is there a problem with your gas supply? Ask a neighbour to see if they are having problems too
  • Is your meter in a cupboard where the on/off meter might have been knocked? Check to see if it's in the right position
  • Has your central heating programmer been set correctly? Your heating won't come on if the programmer isn't telling it to
  • Is the room's thermostat set correctly? If it's too low then the heating won't come on
  • Is the boiler pressure correct? If not, can you identify a leak in the system that can be isolated? Take care when investigating as any escaping water may be very hot. If in any doubt, leave this to a suitably qualified engineer

Stay safe from carbon monoxide

If you've got a gas boiler, it's very important to get it checked and serviced regularly in order to minimise the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. You can also buy carbon monoxide alarms to alert you to the danger.

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