How To Tell When Your Boiler Needs an Upgrade

The boiler is the unsung hero of your home. Whilst it’s easy to overlook it, you will soon wish you hadn’t when your hot water or heating stop working!

It’s so important to take care of your boiler with regular servicing and maintenance so that you can help prevent a boiler breakdown and reduce the risk of potential damage to your home and health. This means that it’s vital to know the signs that your boiler needs an upgrade, and if you spot them, to organise an emergency boiler service.

Whilst regular services will help maintain your boiler, there will come a time when it needs to be replaced. Here are some of the top signs to look out for that your boiler needs an upgrade:

Your boiler is leaking

It goes without saying that when your boiler is leaking, it’s a clear sign that something is wrong. A leaky boiler could indicate that a seal or another internal component of the system has broken. If you leave a boiler to leak water, it can cause significant damage to other components in the boiler, or even short-circuit your electric.

Your radiators aren’t heating up properly

Faulty radiators are definitely something you’ll want to avoid in the winter months. It can be difficult to notice radiator problems while the weather is warmer, but it’s still important to check all your radiators when you turn them back on again. If your radiators are taking too long to heat up, it could be a sign your boiler needs an upgrade. Alternatively, your heating system might be blocked and may need cleaning out.

Your energy bills have increased

As your boiler gets older, it can become less efficient, costing you more to run it each year. Rapidly increasing energy bills can be a sign that your boiler isn’t working as well as it used to, and might need a service or an upgrade. For an inefficient boiler, you’ll need to contact a boiler service provider to help solve the problem or even replace the boiler if necessary. This can be costly, but if you invest in boiler and heating cover, you can potentially reduce the risk of an unexpected bill.

Your boiler is making too much noise

All boilers should make some noise when they’re on, however if your boiler is making loud, or unusual noises you’ve not heard before, it could be a sign that there is something wrong. Banging noises might indicate that something is broken within the boiler, meaning it should be turned off as soon as possible and an engineer should be called out to avoid further damage.

The boiler smells bad

If your boiler is working normally, there shouldn’t be any smell at all. If you notice any unusual or bad smells coming from your boiler, you must turn it off and contact an engineer right away, as this could be extremely dangerous. A foul, egg smelling odour can indicate a potential gas leak, which presents a significant fire risk.

Another smell that can leak from the boiler can be due to carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide in itself is odourless, however a leak of this gas can produce a smell if your boiler isn’t burning fuel properly. Carbon monoxide is an extremely dangerous gas that can cause illness or even death in high doses, so if this is the case, you must evacuate your home and call an engineer. To help detect this, you can install a carbon monoxide detector in your home.

Your heating isn’t working as well as it used to

If your heating is simply just not working as well as it used to, and is frequently breaking down, this could be a sign that your boiler may be coming to the end of its useful life, leading to pricey repair bills. For a fixed fee, one of our expert engineers will carry out a full inspection of your boiler.

How Butco Can Help

Recognising the signs that your boiler needs an upgrade is important, however, to prevent against unexpected bills and issues that can leave your home without heating, it’s essential to invest in a good quality boiler service cover plan. At Butco, we can provide boiler cover with service, meaning we can support you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

To learn more about our BoilerCare plans, talk to our friendly, local team by calling 0333 366 1121 or email us at info@butco.com.