As long as the heating is off and the windows are open, we otherwise don’t need to worry about the temperature of our homes. Right? Wrong. Experts at Glow-worm suggest that in fact the summer can be the best time to settle down and pay your heating equipment some vital attention!

Here’s why:

•    Lots of people wait until their boiler has already broken before getting it serviced, but this leaves you at risk of getting caught out in the cold winter months and stuck with no heating.  Play it safe and organise an annual check-up in advance of the cold weather.

•    The cost of an emergency boiler replacement in the peak season can far exceed the cost of getting a regular annual check up earlier on in the year, so though it may seem an unnecessary expense at the time, you could be saving yourself cash in the long run.

•    Engineers tend to have more availability in the summer, when they aren’t getting called out to emergency boiler repairs, so they can work around you more easily.

Glow-worm’s online installer locater tool can help you easily find your nearest installer if you’re considering a new boiler or just want to discuss the best options for you and your family.

Some things in life are impossible to read – but your boiler shouldn’t be one of them.

We recently asked you to come forward and feedback, via the blog, on how our boilers functioned, particularly with respect to boiler controls.

Andrew Slater, Technical Support Manager at Glow-worm has highlighted a few instructions which are commonly queried by customers calling in.

F4     credit gas meter may have run out
F5    overheat, please check your user manual for reset advice
F9    low pressure, please check your user manual for top up advice
F22    low pressure/poor circulation – possible air locks, try bleeding the radiators
F26    poor circulation – possible air locks, try bleeding the radiators

For more information please refer to your boiler manual.

The event itself takes place at Earl’s Court in London, 2^nd – 4^th March, and is expected to top last year’s attendance of 35, 617.

Glow-worm will be showcasing their Clearly Hybrid 5kW heat pump, an intelligent heating solution which selects the most efficient fuel for the householder.  The unit can be programmed to automatically switch to use whichever fuel – gas or electricity – is the cheapest, based on outdoor temperatures and tariffs.

Over the next few months we’ll be providing exclusive insights into the new hybrid pump here on the blog – if you’d like to register for information on the Clearly Hybrid heat pump, then please get in touch via the blog and we’ll make sure you’re first on the list.

The stand at Ecobuild will also include information on our Clearly Heat Pumps, air to water heat pump solution, boilers, central heating controls, Clearly Solar and Clearly Heat Recovery solutions.

We’ll be tweeting all the action from the show all week– click here follow us on Twitter and hear our thoughts on the show for latest information.

By maintaining an up-to-date register of qualified gas installers and other trades people, CORGI promotes the core values of professional service and high standards in safety. Consequently, the CORGI badge is a guarantee of safety, making it the standard to look for when employing a tradesman.

In recent years, registration has become a legal requirement for anyone installing or repairing gas fittings or appliances. So, you can be sure that any work completed by a CORGI technician will be done competently and safely.

Illegal work can be defined simply as gas work carried out for gain by a person not working on behalf of a CORGI registered business. Such work is far more likely to be unsafe and, in such cases, the illegal gas worker far less likely to offer support to the customer in the event of an incident.

If an installer is not CORGI registered then they won’t have kept up to date with training, probably won’t have the right equipment or hold the right qualifications to do the type of work you need. As a result an unregistered CORGI installer who is working illegally may leave you with unsafe appliances. They will not provide you with a Declaration of Safety Certificate or Building Regulations compliance Certificate, both of which are beneficial to include in your Home Information Pack.

Always ask your plumber for their Corgi registration number and check it at www.trustcorgi.com; if they can’t provide one then they can’t work on live gas installations.

If you suspect illegal gas work call the CORGI hotline on 0800 915 0491.

Visit www.glow-wormheating.co.uk for extra help on finding a safe engineer. There’s an approved installer list which means that anyone who is included has attended Glow-worm training courses, so they know exactly how to fit your boiler. All you have to do is enter your postcode to find approved CORGI registered installers near you, simple as that!

Your boiler needs to have a constant water pressure to make sure it works properly and continues to keep your house nice and cosy. It’s important to know that different types of boilers have different ways to keep pressure constant.

For example, if you have an older conventional boiler, your heating system will rely on a water tank which keeps water levels constant by using a ball float device. But if your boiler is quite new and is a combination or standard central heating system, then you need to check your water pressure about once a month to make sure it’s correct.

Checking on the pressure of your hot water system is quick and easy to do. Just take a look at the pressure gauge and make sure the reading is between 1 and 1.5, the perfect pressure range. If it drops below 0.5 or rises above 2.5, the pressure is incorrect and your hot water system won’t work as well as it could – and could even shut out.

If your pressure reading is too low (below 0.5), you need to repressurise the system by topping it up with water via the filling loop. The filling loop looks like a small tap which is connected to the system via a small hose. To add more water into your boiler, simply turn the tap while you watch the gauge to make sure you let in enough water to raise the pressure to the correct level (1-1.5).

There are a few reasons why your boiler may lose pressure, including leaks in your system. If this is the case, you should get the leak repaired as soon as possible to make sure your boiler continues to run efficiently.

Another reason for pressure to drop is when air has been removed after a radiator has been bled. So try and remember next time you bleed your radiators to check the pressure afterwards, just to make sure it has not been affected.

If there’s anything you’re unsure about when you come to repressurise your boiler, we’d always advise you to speak to an expert.

Visit www.britishgas.co.uk for more tips on how to repressurise and look after your boiler.

But don’t worry! It’s not as drastic or gory as it sounds! Bleeding your radiator simply means releasing trapped air from inside the system.

When water is heated and cooled continuously, air bubbles can be created. If air gets stuck inside your radiator coils it stops your heater from emitting the maximum amount of heat into your room, meaning it can cost you more money and waste energy to have your heater on when air is trapped inside.

You should ‘bleed’ your radiator twice a year to make sure it’s as efficient as possible at keeping your home nice and snug. If there’s a big difference in temperature between the top and bottom of your radiator, then it needs bleeding, here’s how to go about it:

o Turn your heating off
o Use your radiator key and insert it into the valve at the top of the radiator and turn it anti clockwise
o Make sure you have a bowl ready to catch any excess water that drips out!
o Turn the key slowly until you hear a hissing sound
o When the water drips out it means that all the trapped air has been released
o Turn the key back to the closed position

Bleeding your radiator can give your heating a whole new lease of life but if your radiator is still underperforming after you’ve followed these simple steps, call a professional to have it checked out. We’ve a list of installers in your area who maybe able to help, click here to do a postcode search.

For more advice on how to make your central heating system more efficient and bleeding your radiators see the Energy Saving Trust website.

In other words it’s a report to see how green your property is.

Commissioned by the seller (or their agent) the data includes the date, construction and location of the house and relevant fittings (heating systems, insulation or double glazing, for example). Part of the certificate also includes a series of recommendations on how a higher energy performance could be achieved perhaps through double glazing if the property doesn’t already have it.

A good rating will come from an efficient boiler and heating system where the heat is retained through good insulation.

Whilst it’s unlikely that people will change their buying habits overnight it is perfectly possible that when comparing two similar properties, an impressive energy efficiency rating could seriously effect the buyer’s decision in favour of the greener option.

Purchasing a new energy efficient boiler is an investment, whether your house is up for sale or not. And it may just prove to be deal breaker. ?