Boiler maintenance: your uSwitch guide

Use this guide to find essential information about boiler maintenance and how to avoid the risks of a faulty boiler.

For more information about some of the terms we use, click on the highlighted words or see our boiler maintenance glossary.

To find the best cover for your gas boiler, try comparing boiler cover with uSwitch

Poorly maintained gas central heating boilers or those with blocked or leaky flues can release carbon monoxide, the so-called "silent killer". On average, 50 people a year are killed by carbon monoxide poisoning due to faulty heating appliances .

Often associated with people living in rented accommodation, carbon monoxide poisoning is a risk for anyone using appliances that burn wood or fossil fuels - gas, coal or oil.

Carbon monoxide is a tasteless, odourless poisonous gas. Inhaling high levels from a faulty gas central heating boiler causes death by asphyxiation.

Keep your eyes open for:

• gas flames that normally burn blue burning orange or yellow instead
• sooty stains appearing on or just above any fuel-burning appliance
• coal or wood fires burning slowly or going out
• a fire that is difficult to light
• a blocked chimney or flue.

If your gas central heating boiler is leaking carbon monoxide, you may also experience drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, chest pains or nausea.

Your gas central heating boiler should be well maintained and serviced at least every 12 months by a Gas Safe registered engineer. You should also make sure chimneys and flues are regularly swept and rooms are well ventilated.

Fit a carbon monoxide detector in any room with a gas or solid fuel appliance - look for the European Standard EN50291. However, this is only a warning device and no substitute for regular gas central heating boiler servicing.

Find a boiler cover plan that offers regular safety inspections or an annual service with the uSwitch boiler cover comparison service.

Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, it's your landlord's responsibility to ensure that flues and appliances are kept in good order and checked at least every 12 months.

A boiler breaks down every 20 seconds in the UK and, as a general rule, the older the gas central heating boiler, the more likely it is to have problems - one in three will develop faults in the first six years.

The cost of repairing a gas central heating boiler is around £185 on average. Supplying and fitting a brand new gas central heating boiler could cost between £1,000 and £4,000, depending on the type of system you have.

Run your gas central heating boiler for at least 10 minutes once a month, even during the summer. This will help prevent the pump becoming clogged with grit, and keep moving parts in order. You should also get it serviced once a year by a professional electrician or Gas Safe registered engineer.

Find gas boiler cover that includes an annual service using the uSwitch comparison service.

If something does go wrong with your gas central heating boiler, don't try to fix it yourself - you could be breaking the law. If you smell gas, open windows and doors and go outside. Call Transco free of charge on 0800 111 999 to report the leak.

You never know when your gas central heating boiler will break down. With gas boiler cover, you know that repairs will be done quickly and by an approved plumber or electrician organised by the provider. Cover also ensures that you won't be hit by a massive bill at a time when you can least afford it.

Just remember that your gas central heating boiler needs to be in good working order to be eligible for cover.

The cost and features included in gas boiler cover vary depending on the provider. To find the right one for you, compare boiler cover with uSwitch.

Carbon monoxide

A toxic, colorless, odourless gas which can leak from badly maintained gas central heating boilers. When inhaled, it causes drowsiness, headaches, dizziness, chest pains or nausea. In high levels, it can kill, particularly if you have heart disease or problems with your lungs or circulatory system.

CORGI registered

CORGI stands for the Council of Registered Gas Installers, a regulatory body to ensure that anyone working with gas has the necessary competence. It is illegal for anyone to work on your gas central heating boiler who isn't CORGI registered.

European Standard EN50291

Carbon monoxide detectors should comply with the European standard EN50291, a quality control which requires the detector to sound if carbon monoxide levels exceed 30ppm (parts per million) over 2 hours. EN50291 superseded the British Standard BS7860.