Temperatures rising over summer inevitably make your home hotter, but did you know that your boiler can also be a culprit?
After the cool winter weather burns off and heating my home becomes less imperative, my boiler falls to the back of my mind, which experts say is a huge mistake. Not only can they cause higher energy bills, but they are also causing more "emergency call-outs".
I certainly don't want to be among those in a "stuffy" home this summer, so I turned to Ryan Willdig, heating expert at Heatforce, to find out the six biggest boiler mistakes I'm making right now, so I never have to make them again.
"Even though you’re not using your heating in summer, your boiler is still active behind the scenes. If your boiler isn’t set up properly for summer months, then you could be contributing to a stuffy home, and paying more than you need to towards your energy bills," he said.
1. Leaving the hot water temperature too high
The first issue to tackle is the hot water. Ryan explained: "Most combi boilers allow you to set the water temperature separately from your heating temperatures.
"Keeping everything at full blast will mean scalding water from the taps and also extra heating radiating into your home. You want to aim for around 50 degrees in summer and nothing more."
2. Running the boiler 24/7
Again, he reiterated that hot water doesn't need to be readily available every hour of the day, especially if you're out for the day or a longer period of time, such as on holiday.
"By using timers and schedules to match your actual household usage, you’ll be avoiding overheating the house when it isn’t needed," he said.
3. Turning the boiler off completely
This one goes against all my instincts. "Switching your boiler off at the main power socket in summer might be sensible, but it can cause parts to seize up.
"Instead, switch it to ‘summer mode’ if that’s an option, or ‘hot only water’ to stop you from overheating the house and to ensure you still have a boiler to use for your heating in winter." Duly noted!
4. Blocking ventilation areas
If you're houseproud like me, you'll know the last-minute panic of shoving messy items inside the cupboard before guests arrive – especially when it comes to lazy summer BBQs where people may wander in and out of your house for bathroom breaks.
This is problematic, Ryan pointed out. "Boilers and hot water cylinders are often housed in cupboards that need airflow. If you’ve stacked towels or closed vents to tidy the house up and stop the room from being so uncluttered, then you might need to think again, as you could be trapping in the heat."
5. Skipping the summer service
Leaving your boiler service to later in the year is common, but it often means that you'll struggle to find a slot and could be among those needing an "emergency callout."
Ryan concluded: "At Heatforce, we see a spike in emergency callouts during autumn. This is typically due to boilers that haven’t been serviced over the summer.
"The summer months are typically the best time to get your boilers serviced as this is when most engineers have more time and you’re not reliant on the heating, even in the UK weather!"