We are lucky in Vancouver that we have relatively mild Canadian winters. But we do still have occasional cold snaps that drop the temperatures below freezing and can last anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. When this happens, it’s important to have a boiler that you can depend on to keep your home warm.
Here are a few key tips to help you get your boiler ready for winter weather, while also keeping your heating bills down.
5 Ways to Get Your Boiler Ready for Winter
It is quite common for air bubbles to become trapped in heating systems, especially if you have an older home and if you tend to turn your heating off during the summer. These air bubbles rise, and can collect at the top of radiators, steadily gathering and causing them to cool.
Bleeding your radiators can help to make sure your heating system is as effective as possible, keeping your family warm and comfortable during winter.
- Check Your Thermostats
You can have the best working boiler in the world, but if your thermostats aren’t working properly, you will end up with rooms that are too hot and too cold throughout the winter. So, getting your boiler ready for winter means checking your thermostats. Faulty thermostats can cause discomfort, as well as a higher heating cost, as you will be running your heat at full blast in order to warm your house.
There is a simple way to check if your thermostats are working. With your heat set to ‘on’ at the timer, turn your boiler thermostat to minimum. If the boiler doesn’t turn off, switch off its time clock and check again. If it still doesn’t respond to the thermostat, there’s a good chance it’s not working. Check with a professional at this point to assist you.
- Check Your Boiler Pressure
Another thing to check when getting your boiler ready for winter is your boiler’s pressure. Low boiler pressure is a common cause of heating problems; lost water from the system means that the expansion vessel needs to be repressurized. Needing to repressurize your boiler once or twice a year is normal, but if you are finding that you need to do it frequently, we recommend that you have it serviced by a professional.
- Insulate Your Boiler’s Condensate Pipe
Frozen condensate pipes are a huge cause of boiler failures and winter call-outs that could have been prevented by some simple insulation.
Because of their placement outside, boiler condensate pipes are exposed to low temperatures and are vulnerable to freezing. Generally, the flow of water through these pipes is rather slow, so they can freeze easily in sub-zero temperatures, especially at the joints.
Waterproof cladding is the simplest way to prevent boiler condensate pipe freezing. Again, consult with a local plumber to assist you in this process.
The most important way to get your boiler ready for winter is to have it serviced and kept up-to-date by a professional. Regular maintenance will ensure that your heating system is in its best possible running order. This will increase efficiency and keep your heating bill as low as it can be.
Your Ashton technician will check all the parts of your boiler and replace any old or damaged parts before they can become a risk. They will also clean all the components of your boiler, ensuring it is safe and performing well.
Ashton Service Group are experts at servicing all of the heating, plumbing air conditioning components of your home. Call us today to get a quote and get started.
Vancouver, BC V6X 3M4
24/7 Live Answering