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Now the days are getting shorter, it really does feel like Winter is here.  The chilly weather has arrived, which means we turn to our heating to keep us toasty and warm. Now is the perfect time to ensure everything is as it should be. Follow these 6 simple tips to check that all is well with your heating and ensure you minimise any issues over the coming season.

It’s a common situation. The radiator is cold at the top and hot at the bottom and the room is not feeling very warm. The likely scenario is that there’s air trapped inside. Other ways to tell whether there’s an issue with the radiator are: The radiator is completely cold. This means that the trapped air has restricted the flow of hot water. For this it’s best to call out your gas engineer to sort out There may be mould or damp. If this is common in the house, it could mean the radiators aren’t working properly The radiators are making strange noises. Gurgling or rattling noises can be a sign that the radiator needs bleeding. Ready to bleed a radiator? Follow these simple steps, but first you’ll need the following: A radiator key A small bucket or bowl An absorbent cloth or old towel Safety or protective gloves ** The water can be very hot, so do take care and wear protective gloves and protect your lower arms. **

Did you see it? The Smart Gas team had the pleasure of being involved in BBC Children in Need’s DIY SOS The Big Build in September and it was recently aired during the fundraising extravaganza on Friday 19 th November.

Spring is in the air. It’s getting warmer and those cold, dark winter days and nights are becoming a distant memory. We’re using our heating less and those boiler niggles and concerns are pushed right to the bottom of the priority list. If there was a breakdown at this time of year, it wouldn’t be a three jumper affair shivering in the corner until a heating engineer can come and fix it. It would be an inconvenience especially if you were without hot water but not a completely desperate situation. So, is now the perfect time of year to have a new boiler installed? The team at Smart Gas install boilers every month of the year so for us, it’s always business as usual. 

As we’re nearing the end of the winter months, the heating will have taken a bit of a battering. Especially since the majority of us have been at home juggling work and home schooling. So, you may be aware that at times the house doesn’t feel as warm as it should be or that your heating bills seem to have rocketed. Are these signs that everything is not as it should be with your boiler? It’s always best to get any problems sorted out to avoid a complete breakdown of your heating system, especially when you need it most, so here’s our top five things to be aware of.

Cowboys, charlatans, chancers and bodgers. We’ve all been there, or at least know someone who has! When identifying a trades person to come and do some work on your property one of the biggest risks is getting the right person or company. Afterall, you’re trusting someone who may be completely unknown to you with one of the most expensive assets, both financially and sentimentally, that you have. So, the risks and issues are well documented. But how do you avoid them? Well, that’s the tricky part. Here’s our guide to some of the dos and don'ts when it comes to getting the right person / company for the job. 

Servicing your boiler is a fundamentally important part of its maintenance and it should be done annually. By keeping it in good condition you’ll reduce the risk of voiding the manufacturer’s warranty, negate the chances of damaging parts that could incur additional costs and, ultimately, avoid the need to replace your boiler. Additionally, there can be very serious health consequences associated with faulty boilers, such as carbon monoxide poisoning, which can result in hospitalisation or worse. But what actually happens when an engineer knocks on the door to service your boiler?

We all know how much we rely on our boilers, particularly at this time of year. As the nights draw in and the temperature takes a dive, having heating and warm water readily available is an absolute must. But, whether it’s closed in a cupboard or hidden in a nook somewhere out of sight, it’s easy to forget about what’s powering this creature comfort; your boiler.