Every year, your boiler needs servicing to ensure it is safe to continue using and performing preemptive maintenance and repairs avoids the risk of requiring a callout and more substantial repairs later to avoid a potentially dangerous malfunction.
A concerning trend that has emerged over the past few years is that some people are skipping their annual boiler check, according to a survey by Cadent as reported by Energy Live News.
Nearly a third only do checks every two years and seven per cent stopped getting services completely.
It goes without saying that not getting your boiler serviced means that the risk of imperceptible but potentially serious faults going undetected until it spills over into potential tragedy. A carbon monoxide leak can sometimes go unnoticed if the detector also fails, and gas leaks can be extremely dangerous.
It also saves money, as a small fix during a service is a lot cheaper than major repairs or a boiler replacement.
The only decision worse than neglecting a boiler service is attempting to do so untrained.
Whilst the dangers of this almost goes without saying, given that people are attempting to do so without being a Gas Safe registered engineer, the dangers of tampering with a gas boiler need to be restated.
It Might Be Illegal To Do So
Any paid work undertaken on gas appliances must be done so by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register, a public register that shows that they have the specialist skills, knowledge and competencies to be working with fossil gas appliances.
Not only is it potentially dangerous to work on a boiler yourself, it can in many cases be illegal. Boilers need to be registered and certified as safe, something that can only be done by a Gas Safe engineer, and they also cannot certify the work of someone who does not hold a Gas Safe certificate.
In the potential event that an untrained installer does something wrong and it causes a gas leak, carbon monoxide poisoning or even an explosion, the person who installed the boiler could potentially face criminal charges or even prison if someone is severely injured or killed.
It Breaks The Warranty
Manufacturers will void the warranty of boilers not installed, maintained and repaired by Gas Safe engineers. This means that if something goes wrong, it can be far more expensive to fix than calling out the right people in the first place.
It can also potentially void your home insurance, which almost always requires that any work on the gas supply is undertaken by a Gas Safe professional for safety and legal liability reasons.
It Is Extremely Dangerous
A misinstalled boiler can lead to gas leaks, which can lead to carbon monoxide poisoning, fires and even potential explosions that require only the slightest spark to set off.
On the subject of sparks, combination boilers are increasingly common and rely on complex electrical systems and sensors to monitor temperatures. Electricity and water do not mix, and a misinstalled boiler could lead to potentially lethal electric shocks.
