Winters have just started and it’s getting colder with every passing day. Decreasing temperature increases the need for an efficient boiler. But a boiler can only give you the desired comfort if it is well maintained and regularly serviced.
For the colder parts of the world, such as the UK, boilers are amongst the most essential items for homes and commercial entities. Boilers are required to heat your rooms and provide warm water in washrooms and kitchens. Whatever the type of boiler, it needs a certain level of maintenance. It needs regular inspection. It needs timely servicing.
So, you need to know the basic things about a boiler and its maintenance and service schedule. Though it may vary to some extent based on the type of boiler, the basic checklist would almost be the same for every boiler.
So, before we jump onto the boiler inspection checklist, let’s look at different types of boilers and their functionality.
Boilers can be classified on different parameters. Let’s see the types of boilers based on the energy source they use to heat the water:
Gas fired boilers are the most commonly used boilers. They are efficient but at the same time need more care and maintenance as compared to other types of boilers. A gas-fired boiler can be quite useful for homes, business, or commercial purposes. These are often used as part of an integrated heating system in large buildings. Gas fired boilers are best for buildings having central heating systems.
These are a popular choice in the areas where gas is unavailable. An electric boiler has a plus point because it requires minimum possible maintenance. But these are less efficient than gas boilers, as they take more time to heat the water. These are, however, considered as the best environment-friendly boilers.
Normally, this type of boiler uses kerosene oil. These are more popular in remote areas where gas or electricity might not be. But keeping a certain oil storage level makes them quite cumbersome. Additionally, they are a source of environmental pollution due to carbon emissions.
This type of boiler uses coal or firewood as an energy source. Though once very popular in homes, they have lost their utility as a domestic boiler. Now they are mostly used for industrial projects, where you need to produce steam. But they become quite dangerous sometimes, as they can explode due to high pressure. Additionally, they need more space for their installation, working, and storage of a sufficient supply of coal and firewood.
Boilers are meant to produce hot water. The component of the boiler which makes it happen is known as a heat exchanger. A heat exchanger passes the heat to the water that comes in contact with it, thus heating it. There are two different ways of doing so, used in most boilers.
The water tube boilers are considered more efficient than the fire tube boilers. They are more compact in their build and can produce hot water more efficiently.
Boilers can also be classified based on their functioning and utility. Mainly there are three types of boilers based on their functioning and utility.
Combination boilers are commonly known as Combi Boilers. These boilers are mostly used in the home as they are more efficient than others. They provide heat and hot water simultaneously, so they got the name combination or combi boiler. Another plus point of this type of home boiler is that no separate tank is needed and it can easily be mounted on a wall. That can save a lot of space for some other usage.
They are sometimes called an Instant Boiler, as they start heating the water immediately. The ignition is automatically triggered when you start using the water.
However, the disadvantage of this type of boiler is that it cannot supply hot water to multiple users at a time. So, it is useful for small households only, with a single washroom and a few radiators. Moreover, it cannot generate pressure. The flow of water is entirely dependent on the pressure of inflowing water.
This type of boiler is commonly known as a conventional boiler or regular boiler or Heat-only boiler.
When the boiler is ignited, the heat exchanger starts heating the water pumped into the storage tank. This heated water is then transported to the radiators to heat the premises. Hot water is also transported to the wash rooms so you get warm water when you switch on the taps.
They are considered less efficient as compared to combi boilers as they cannot provide hot water instantly. It is more costly and needs more space for installation. But it is useful for larger households, with multiple washrooms and more radiators.
These are more like a conventional or heat-only boiler. But they don’t have a storage tank. And secondly, various components such as pumps and valves are built-in, unlike the conventional boilers. System boilers are a part of the integrated heating system, mostly used in large buildings. In fact, system boilers can be referred to as the improved new version of regular boilers.
The low pressure is the main disadvantage of this type of boiler, as they supply the hot water at the same pressure as that of the inflowing water
If you have a gas-fired boiler, it will have to be an essential part of the annual gas safety inspection, which is necessary for getting a gas safety certificate. But if you have a different type of boiler, it does not make a part of the annual gas safety inspection.
In any case, you need to get your boiler frequently inspected for identification of any potential fault. While an electrical boiler would potentially need almost no maintenance, a coal-fired or oil boiler may need more frequent maintenance.
However, as a basic rule, you need to have your boiler inspected at least once a year.
Though boilers are meant to work uninterruptedly for the entire winter, there may be instances when it develops various faults. So, to ensure a trouble performance, you need to have a daily, weekly, monthly and annual checklist for an effective boiler inspection and maintenance.
You need a boiler to provide you with a warm residence and hot water for the winters. But in turn, your boiler needs your attention. It comprises such parts that may develop any fault at any time. To avoid such a situation right in the middle of the peak winter season, you need to ensure regular and timely maintenance and servicing of the boiler.
Additionally, you need to conduct a daily, weekly and monthly set of inspection steps on your boiler. This will help a lot in the trouble-free performance of t
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