The boiler mistakes that are making your house feel stuffy
In the middle of the summer, the last thing we are thinking about is our boiler, but maybe we should be.
With heatwaves making cold showers acceptable all day long and proximity to a fan or air conditioning unit taking preference over a radiator, our boilers are not on our radar.
But, our boilers could actually be key to helping to keep our homes cool.
Ryan Willdig, heating expert at Heatforce believes many of us are making simple boiler mistakes which are resulting in stuffy homes, higher energy bills and unnecessary wear and tear on our boilers.
Ryan explains: “Even though you’re not using the heating in the summer, your boiler is still active behind the scenes.
“If your boiler isn’t set up properly for the summer months, then you could be contributing to a stuffy home. This will then mean you’re paying more than you need to in energy bills.”
Here he shares five common boiler mistakes that you could be making this summer.
1. Your hot water temperature is too high
Most combi boilers allow you to set the temperature for your water separately from your heating temperatures.
Ryan says we should make sure it’s lower: “Keeping everything at full blast will mean scalding water from the taps and also extra heating radiating into your home.
“You want to aim for around 50 degrees Fahrenheit in summer and nothing more.”
2. Running the boiler 24/7 for hot water
Many households keep their system as it is to be able to access boiling water constantly.
Even if they’re out for the day or on holiday!
Ryan advises using a timer: “This will match your actual household usage and avoid overheating the house when it isn’t needed.”
3. Turning off the boiler
To avoid heating the house unnecessarily, some of us might think it wise to switch the boiler off completely. However, this can cause longer term problems.
Ryan explains: “Switching the boiler off at the main power socket in summer might seem sensible, but it can cause parts to seize up.
“Instead switch it onto summer mode if that’s an option, or hot only water.
“This will stop you from overheating the house and ensure you still have a good boiler to use for heating in winter.”
4. Blocking ventilation areas
Our boilers and hot water cylinders are often housed in cupboards that need airflow but this can sometimes lead to issues.
Ryan adds: “If you’ve stacked towels or closed vents to tidy the house up and stop the room from being so uncluttered, then you might need to think again.
“This is because you could be trapping in the heat!”
This would result in extra heat that is simply not needed during the warmer months.
5. Skipping your boiler service
It’s easy to think skipping your boiler service in the summer is a great way to save money.
After all, you have no real need for the boiler during the summer, right?
Wrong – come the winter you’ll be regretting not sorting out your boiler!
Ryan explains: “At Heatforce, we see a spike in emergency callouts during the autumn.
“This is typically due to boilers that haven’t been serviced over the summer.
“The summer months are actually the best time to get your boiler serviced as its when most engineers have more availability.
“This is also a time when you’re not reliant on heating, even in with the UK weather!
“Therefore, if there is an issue it isn’t an emergency and there is more time to tackle the problem.
READ MORE: