With the colder weather passing and our minds focused on the summer ahead, what better time to discuss one of the most common questions we get asked each spring… “should we turn our boiler off over the warmer months?” The answer to that question varies from household to household, dependant on what you use your boiler for, and let us explain why.
Switching your boiler off can be greatly beneficial to those who are keen to save on their energy bills. Without the need to utilise your central heating system, there may be no need to keep your boiler running. However, switching it off completely may affect other aspects of your household, such as the temperature of your water or the effectiveness of your appliances.
Water
If you utilise an electric shower, the likelihood of a switched-off boiler affecting your shower temperature is low. It will, however, effect the water coming out of your bathroom and kitchen taps and so it is important to keep this in mind if you wash up by hand as you may need to utilise warm water from your kettle to effectively sterilise your utensils.
Appliances
Household appliances, such as dishwashers and washing machines, can often use heated water from your boiler to operate effectively. Take a look at yours before making the decision to switch the boiler off. If they are listed as cold fill, they should not be affected. Appliances with this function utilise cool water and heat it themselves as a part of their working cycle.
Protect the working function of your boiler
Whilst turning your boiler off could save you money on your energy bills, you should be cautious that it doesn’t cost you in the long run. Leaving it switched off for an extended period of time could result in problematic issues such as seized valves which prevent your boiler from operating as it should and would require professional repair work. To prevent this, set aside some time every 2-3 weeks to switch it on and allow hot water to run for a short period of time.
Arrange for a service
Whether you choose to have your boiler switched off throughout the summer or not, a professional service towards the end of the season could allow any potential faults to be resolved before winter kicks in, allowing you to relax in an efficiently heated home.
At Platinum Plumbers, we carry out repair and replacement work, as well as servicing, all year round. For any enquiries or expert advice, get in touch with our team today. Call us on 020 8855 0361 or email and we will be happy to help.
