Energy Guides

Boiler maintenance cover - is it worth it?

Friday 21 January, 2011

By Dominic Welling - dominic.welling@consumerchoices.co.uk

If something were to go wrong with your boiler, or if it were to develop a fault, are you suitably covered to get it fixed in hurry?

Maintaining your boiler correctly is essential for a number of reasons, but the most important is to ensure it’s safe and isn’t posing a health risk.

Carbon Monoxide (CO) poisoning is more common than you’d think and is known as the silent killer for good reason - it is a gas which has no smell, taste or colour.

What’s this got to do with boiler maintenance?

Even breathing in a small amount of this gas can cause loss of consciousness and death, according to the NHS. In the UK, more than 50 people die from accidental carbon monoxide poisoning every year, with 200 people who are seriously injured by it.

Boilers that are not properly looked after or have blocked or leaky flues can release carbon monoxide into the house.

Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels such as gas, oil, coal and wood do not burn fully. Inhaling high levels from a malfunctioning gas boiler can cause death by suffocation.

What can I do to minimise the risk?

To keep your boiler in peak condition it is important you get it checked at least once a year by a gas safety registered engineer. For more on this read our guide on boiler servicing.

Make sure the room in which your boiler is kept is well ventilated, keep all chimneys and flues clear and check for blockages on a regular basis.

Also run the boiler for at least 10 minutes once a month to keep it ticking over and prevent it from getting clogged.

In addition it’s worth getting your hands on a carbon monoxide detector and placing it in the room with your boiler. This will only act as a warning device however and is no substitute for regularly getting your boiler serviced.

Is it worth taking out boiler cover?

A lot of people do not bother taking out cover mainly because they don’t like the idea of paying a monthly fee for something they may never need.

If you don’t have cover it will cost you a small fortune to get your boiler fixed so a few pounds a month really is a small price to pay.

Boiler maintenance cover means you are protected if your boiler starts emitting carbon monoxide and you need it fixed as soon as possible.

Depending on the exact type of cover it should also cover the cost of an annual service or if your boiler suddenly breaks down and needs an emergency repair.

Any of this could happen at any time and if you aren’t covered will end up costing you a fortune, so it is best to be prepared.

Where to get boiler maintenance cover?

You don’t have to get cover from your energy supplier, you can get it from any provider that offers a plan which suits your specific needs and budget.

Whatever you do, you should compare the market before signing up to boiler maintenance cover, but here are a few examples of some plans that are out there at the moment:

• AA Home Emergency Response Cover (www.theaa.com)
• HomeServe (www.homeserve.com)
• npower hometeam 50 (www.npower.co.uk)