Here is a slightly unnerving thought: July 2nd this year marked the middle day of 2025. That, in turn, means that as of now, we are closer to 2050 than we are to 2000.
Thought-provoking as this fact is, you may wonder what it has to do with getting your boiler serviced. The answer, of course, is that the passage of time is something we tend to lose track of, especially when a lot of years are involved. And this is certainly true for home appliances that were installed years ago and can easily be taken for granted.
However, the truth is that every appliance has a shelf-life and in the case of boilers, that is usually 10-15 years.
This doesn’t mean that once a decade has passed, you definitely need a new boiler, but it is certainly true that right now, the middle month of summer (and indeed the middle of half a century!) is the best time to have a boiler service.
The Benefits Of A Summer Service
It is easier to find an engineer available at a mutually convenient time for the service to be carried out at this time of year. That is in complete contrast to winter, when they will be busy with emergency call-outs. Moreover, by getting your boiler serviced now, the chances of you facing a winter emergency will be drastically reduced.
However, while a service may ensure that a few creaking bits of the boiler are fixed and looming problems are nipped in the bud to ensure it performs to its maximum, there comes a point where it no longer makes sense to try to repair it and it is better to replace your boiler entirely.
This comes about because your boiler has so much wear and tear that it would cost more to fix all the bits that don’t work well or will soon start to fail than to replace it completely. A service can do great things when one or two elements of the boiler need fixing, but it won’t be enough when everything is in decline.
In this respect, a boiler is like a car or even the human body: time takes its toll in more ways than one.
Signs That You Need A New Boiler
You may not need an engineer coming this summer to give your boiler a service, but there may be signs you will need to replace the boiler altogether.
Among the common indicators that you need a replacement are that your boiler is giving off a bad smell, which can hint at carbon monoxide leaks and is a very serious matter as this can be a deadly health hazard.
Another issue is if your bills are going up, which they shouldn’t be in summer when it is warm and the Energy Price Cap has been lowered, while a radiator taking longer to heat up is a common issue, albeit not one applicable at this time of year.
Strange noises and leaks are among other signs that all is not well, telling you that you need an engineer to come for a service and also to see if a replacement boiler is needed.
Whether your boiler just needs a service or replacing it completely, getting it sorted now will ensure you don’t have any dramas when winter rolls around. A new one won’t last until 2050, but it will give you many years of good service.
