5/14/2020 2:34:00 PM by Duval Heating
The annual boiler inspection or service as it is otherwise known is very important.
This tends to get overlooked unless a problem accrues.
So what’s so important about an annual boiler inspection?
SAFETY, you want to know your boiler is safe to use, especially if the boiler is located in a bedroom.
The majority of gas boilers installed in the United Kingdom are now condensing boilers, these boilers need a regular inspection.
Let me explain why.
The condense, these boilers produce while working is acidic, if an internal leak from the condense pipe happens, it could become fatal.
Condense dripping on to the gas supply pipe will, over time cause a small gas leak.
Another problem that we come up against is a leaking flue pipe.
The boiler flue pipe is made up of two pipes, you have the outer pipe which is made of metal and the inner pipe made from a plastic-type of material.
When connecting the flue to the boiler it is pushed into the flue elbow that is normally located on top.
The inner pipe is sealed via a rubber seal within the elbow, these can sometimes overtime let condense drip on to the outer pipe.
This will eventually make a hole within the pipe.
Should this happen, carbon monoxide could be leaking into the room the boiler is located in.
Carbon monoxide as we all know is the silent killer, you cannot see it or smell it.
It’s always a good idea to place a carbon monoxide detector in the same room as the boiler.
Part of the annual boiler inspection is checking over the flue pipe for any signs of leakage.
If your flue pipe has any extensions connected before it exits to the outside, all of the connection points need to be inspected.
If the whole flue cannot be inspected, it is classed as immediately dangerous and must be isolated and made safe.
Inspection hatches will need to be installed close to all of the flue connections.
Once all the safety issues have been checked and inspected, we move onto checking the expansion vessel.
The expansion vessel works by absorbing the expansion as the water heats up.
When this happens you will notice the pressure gauge start to rise as the system heats up.
This means the expansion vessel needs attention.
The rest of the annual boiler inspection is carried out according to the boilermakers instructions.
Once completed a certificate is issued, signed and dated by the boiler gas safe engineer.