How long does a boiler last?

You use your boiler daily, so having it serviced can help reduce the impact of wear and tear throughout its lifespan. If your boiler isn’t working at its best, it could make your monthly utility bills go up. Your annual service makes sure there are no performance issues. Not only that, your engineer will look for any potential dangers, such as carbon monoxide leaks. Monitoring its performance and fixing any issues early, helps you get the maximum life out of your boiler. 

The best way to do this is by having your boiler serviced regularly either through a service plan or taking out boiler insurance to protect you.

We recommend that you have your boiler serviced at least once every 12 months.

 If you live in rented accommodation, your landlord is legally obliged to have your boiler (and all other gas appliances you use in your home) serviced once a year, with a gas safety certificate being issued at the end of the inspection. 

For homeowners, an annual service may be necessary to avoid voiding your boiler’s guarantee. If your boiler breaks down and you haven’t had an official inspection within the past 12 months, you’re unlikely to be covered under the manufacturer’s warranty.

If you are noticing issues with your boiler, such as low pressure, signs of overheating or a leak, arrange an engineer to take a look as soon as possible - don’t wait for your annual inspection. The possibility of gas leaks and carbon monoxide means that faulty boilers are a health risk, so it’s better to pick up an issue early and fix it quickly than for it to get worse and become a potentially dangerous and costly problem.

If possible, try to arrange your boiler service during quieter periods of the year. In colder, winter months, where demand is higher, it may be harder to arrange an inspection date. It’s also better to fix any issues during summer months when you require less heating for your home.

The engineer will run safety checks to ensure that it’s operating properly and raise any potential performance issues. They’ll look for any visual signs of damage, check for correct pressure and flow and also give the inside of your boiler a good clean. If a small issue is discovered, your engineer can usually fix it straight away. If the problem is slightly more complex, they may arrange another date to fix the issue. After the inspection, you‘ll get a post-service report which you need to keep for any warranty purposes.  If you want to have annual services, it's worth considering taking out boiler cover.