Boilers and Heat Pumps

As the warmer months approach, you may switch off your central heating without a second thought. While it’s great to save on your energy bills, completely neglecting your heating system over the summer can lead to problems when you need it again in the autumn. To keep your system in the best working condition, here’s our top 10 tips on what you should do during the summer months. 1. Run your heating occasionally It might sound counterproductive, but turning your heating on for a short period once a month can prevent components from seizing up. When left inactive for months, parts like the pump and motorised valves can become stiff or stuck, leading to potential breakdowns when the colder weather returns. 2. Check and bleed your radiators Even though you’re not using your heating much, summer is the perfect time to check for cold spots and bleed your radiators if necessary. This helps remove trapped air, ensuring your system runs efficiently when it’s needed again. If you’re not sure how, watch the video below: How to Bleed a radiator in 8 easy steps | Baxi guides

When instructing a gas safe registered engineer to issue a gas safety certificate on a rental property, here is what should be checked and what information must be captured, to ensure the check complies with regulations: Visual inspection of the gas installation, appliance(s) location, terminal chimney/flue route/position and signs of incomplete combustion. Appliance operating pressure or heat input, or both where necessary, if it is not reasonably practicable to carry out either of these checks, then you can rely on the combustion analysis. Ventilation is clear and sufficiently sized. Flue flow and spillage testing where appropriate for correct operation of flue. All flame supervision devices and/or other safety controls for correct operation. Investigate any evidence of unsafe operation of appliances. The landlord or responsible person must be notified of any defects. It is recommended that the gas meter and emergency control valve should be checked also. What information must be recorded? The date on which the appliance or chimney/flue was checked. The address of the premises at which the appliance or flue is installed. The name and address of the landlord or agent at which the appliance or chimney/flue are installed. A description of the location of each appliance or chimney/flue that has been checked. Any gas safety issues identified and any remedial action take. This record must be retained until two further checks of the appliance or chimney/flue have been made or, if an appliance or flue has been removed from the premises, the record must be kept for a period of two years from the date of the last check. Confirmation that all safety details are recorded and comply with regulations. The engineers name, signature and gas safe number. What about Tenants' own appliances? It is not a requirement to record a tenant's own appliance. If the landlord requests a tenant's appliances are record, a visual inspection should be carried out and no further checks are required. Landlords can arrange for gas safety checks to be carried out at any time 10-12 calendar moths after the previous gas safety check. Source: Gas Engineer Magazine January/February 2026

The Government is consulting on a range of measures that is says will improve energy efficiency and save money for households buying gas boilers and heat pumps (including hybrids) and their controls. Building on the findings of the Boiler Plus Review and previous consultations, its proposed measures include some of the following: All gas combi boilers under 45kW to be able to modulate their maximum output down to 15% without on/off cycling by mid-2028. Larger domestic combi boilers (32kW-45kW) to modulate their maximum output down to 10% without on/off cycling by mid-2028. All combi boilers to be supplied with a 60 degree low flow temperature factory default setting by mid-2026. Removing simple on-off boiler controls by mid-2026. The Government has acknowledged that a flow temperature of 55 degrees may not be suitable for all households, and that a higher flow temperature of 65 degrees may be needed for households with people over 65 or with health conditions. Basic boiler controls will not be sufficient for any heating types after mid-2026. These included standard on/off controls as well as weather compensation controls that use external sensors only, which the government says are not commonly used. When it comes to heat pumps, it proposes to amend and introduce definitions of low, medium and high-temperature heat pumps and increase and introduce minimum efficiency requirements for each temperature. For the first time, hybrid systems will be formally defined as "a system of space heating, or space and water heating, that contains an electric an electric heat pump, another heater which is not an electric heat pump, and a master control which determines, based on operating conditions, the heat output of each of the heaters" The Government proposes introducing minimum efficiency requirements for hybrid heat pumps at medium-temperature application (55 degrees) from mid-2027. Source: Gas Safe Magazine

It is with deep sadness that we start our Christmas message this year with the devastating news regarding our colleague and dear friend, Haydon Perrins, who sadly passed away on the 11th December. Although Haydon worked with us for a short period of time, he was more than just a member of the team, he was a breath of fresh air. He always had a 'can do attitude' with a smile on his face. To say we are heartbroken is an understatement, and Haydon will be sorely missed. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Haydon's family and loved ones during this extremely difficult time. We are profoundly grateful for the time we shared with Haydon, and for the lasting impact he has made on our lives and our organisation. H is legacy will continue to live on in our hearts.

As the nights draw in and the days get cooler, your Boiler’s workload increases significantly. However, you may not have had your heating on for months. Ageing pipes, lower boiler pressure, grime building up inside your central heating system – there’s plenty that can happen over time that can reduce the effectiveness or even damage your boiler. Maintain your boiler with an annual Boiler service A lot of people skip their annual boiler service, but it’s so important! A healthy boiler makes for a healthy home, and servicing it will extend the life of your boiler for perhaps years. You’ll save money in the long run, and avoid the headache of boiler breakdowns and problems. Think of an annual boiler service like servicing your car: any problems will be noticed by a professional long before you break down in the middle of nowhere. A heating engineer will thoroughly inspect and test key components of your boiler to ensure it is working safely, efficiently and reliably. Check your Boiler pressure This will be done during your annual boiler service, but on the off-chance you skipped that, check your boiler pressure before switching your central heating on for the winter. We have an in-depth guide for checking boiler pressure, which you should definitely read thoroughly, but in short: make sure your pressure gauge is between 1 – 1.5 bar, otherwise your boiler will start to show error codes, or stop working entirely. If your boiler pressure is too low, top up the pressure until it reaches at least 1 bar. If it’s too high, you should bleed your radiators to relieve pressure. Bleed your radiators No matter how perfectly sealed your central heating system is, over time air will get inside and start making a nuisance of itself. This might result in cold areas of your radiator (usually the top). If you have, then it is time to bleed your radiator. Bleeding your radiators is easy – all you need is a radiator key (easily available online or from your local DIY store) and an old towel or rag. We explain how to bleed your radiators in our article here. Test your central heating before it gets too cold One of the best tips to make sure your boiler is ready for winter is to test it before the weather gets too cold. So, around October or early November, just as it’s starting to chill, you should test your heating. Better to do that than wait until the weather is too cold to find out your heating’s kaput. While it’s still mild outside, test your central heating. Run it for a few hours; make sure the radiators warm thoroughly, and there are no cold spots. Check for tell-tale signs of something amiss: are there clanking or gurgling sounds coming from your boiler? If so, there may be an internal problem with your boiler: an annual boiler service will find what’s wrong. You should also check the control elements of your boiler, providing it has them. Insulate your pipes A cold snap can wreak havoc on your pipes, especially if they’re old. The best way to make sure ‘how do I get my boiler ready for winter?’ is to look after the pipes that connect to your boiler. You need to insulate your pipes to protect them from the freezing cold. Especially the pipes outside your home. These are exposed to the elements, and are prone to freezing. One of the best tips to make sure your boiler is ready for winter is to take steps to stop your pipes from freezing. If you have a condensing boiler (a boiler that captures hot gasses and uses them to create more heat), the wastewater vapour from the condensing process flows out of your home slowly (about 2 litres an hour). This slow trickle makes them prone to freezing in sub-zero temperatures. Insulating exposed pipes with lagging will go a long way to stop this from happening. A frozen condensate pipe can damage a boiler and even break it, so insulating it from the cold weather would be a very savvy decision. Source: www.baxi.co.uk

Our industry's biggest annual campaign is just around the corner! As always, Gas Safety Week sees the whole industry unite to raise awareness of gas safety and to encourage people to book an annual gas safety check with a gas safe engineer. This year's theme will emphasise that everyone has a role in keeping the nation gas safe and that we can all make a difference. "Looking after you home, friends and family" will be driving home the message - whether people are responsible for their own family's gas safety or for properties they manage, as well as looking out for older relatives, and young adults who have moved out for higher education or to their first home. Gas Safety Week is an ideal opportunity to share information and knowledge, even among those who are not directly responsible for gas safety. Source: Gas Engineer Magazine Issue 186 July/August 2025

Gas Safe Register's Investigations Team looks at the many forms of illegal gas work and the reasons why you should report it when you discover it. Illegal gas work is any work that falls within the scope of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 that has been carried out by anyone who is not registered or does not hold the appropriate ACS qualifications. Working illegally can take many forms, including: Someone who has no qualifications to fit or work on a gas appliance. Someone who is registered but working outside the scope of their competencies. Someone who was previously registered but not when undertaking gas work. A business or engineer carrying out gas work when they have been suspended from the register. Someone working outside the business with which they are registered. A registered business using unregistered and unsupervised operatives. Why should I report it? Reporting illegal gas work is a requirement under Gas Safe Register's Rules of Registration. The rules state that a registered business and any of its engineers carrying out gas work on its behalf must ensure that: Nothing is done that would contribute to unsafe gas work or illegal activities. The registered is notified of any concerns about unsafe gas work carried out by others, registered or otherwise, as soon as possible. The Register is notified of any evidence of illegal gas work found. How do i report illegal gas work? Gas Safe Register has simplified its online form to make it easier to report illegal gas work. You can submit the form anonymously, however if you are happy to provide your own details, Gas Safe Register may contact you for more information. Where possible the following information is required: The unregistered engineers name and business name. Contact details of the unregistered engineer. Address of where the gas work has taken place. The customer's name and contact details. Here are some examples of questionable works:

Our year so far.... It has been another busy start to the year for us, which as always is greatly appreciated and never taken for granted. The number of boiler installations and new central heating systems seems to be at a record high this year, and after such a busy winter period, it has prompted Dale to start the recruitment process of an Apprentice Domestic Gas Engineer. We hope to have someone in place before Winter 2025 sets in. We are pleased to say that we have sponsored and are due to sponsor a few local events this year including: Oswestry Community Games, Bridgnorth Regatta, Llanfyllin and Guilsfield Shows. Oswestry Community Games took place on Sunday 8th June in Cae Glas Park, and was a great community event with many sports clubs/organisations involved. We also provided some personalised water bottles, mini footballs and drawstring bags for participants at the event, which went down a treat! (Pictured below are Oswestry Community Games organisers from left to right: Kelly, James and Clive)

Boilers come in all shapes and sizes, with lots of features or just a few. If you want to know what temperature should a condensing boiler be set at, or any kind of boiler, this guide will give you a good idea. An important thing to consider: Setting your boiler’s temperature higher will give you hot radiators, but it could decrease its efficiency. Ramping up the temp to max could decrease it by up to 20%, and send your heating bills skyrocketing. If you want a lovely warm home and a long-lasting boiler, it’s about getting the right balance. What temperature should my boiler be set at in winter? We all want to stay cosy in the winter. Some cosier than others. There’s no magic number for the ideal temperature. If you’re looking for a good balance of warmth and efficiency, you want to set your boiler to at least 65°C. Setting it a few degrees higher won’t hurt. But it’s important not to set it any lower than that. This is so bacteria in the water doesn’t grow, and cause nasty things like Legionella. For those who like things hot, it is tempting to set your boiler temp higher in the winter. However, there is a chance this will start to stress out your boiler. An overworked boiler will likely have a reduced lifespan, decreased efficiency, and be more prone to breakdowns and repairs. What temperature should my boiler be set at in summer? In summer, you’re less likely to have the radiators on. If you are, you’ll probably not want them to be radiating at the heat of a blast furnace. Like in winter, if you want to know what temperature a condensing boiler should be set at, make sure it’s no lower than 65°C. This inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria in your water supply, so keep it at 65°C and no lower. What is the best temperature setting for central heating? When it comes to setting room temperature, the sweet spot is between 18°C and 21°C. This is within most people’s comfort zone. For bedroom temperatures, if possible, you want it around 16°C to 19°C. This is the best temperature for a good night’s sleep, according to the Sleep Foundation. Keeping the thermostat between those limits is the best temperature setting for central heating, and makes for a happy, comfortable home. Source: www.baxi.co.uk