OFTEC has an important role in maintaining oil heating standards

The Oil Fired Technical Association (more commonly referred to as OFTEC) is the trade association for the oil heating industry. The UK government, heating manufacturers, and oil companies accept OFTEC as the main association for the domestic and commercial oil heating and distribution sector.

OFTEC provides support to oil appliance installers and manufacturers operating in the industry. In addition, they offer training and safety assessments. Furthermore, they support consumers of oil heating appliances, and those who hire the services of an oil technician.

The association certifies boiler and heating technicians at a high level. The association works hard to maintain standards of excellence within the oil industry. As a result, they ensure only the most qualified and reliable installers and manufacturers are protected by its trusty name.

Homeowners and owners of commercial property will find a wealth of knowledge on the OFTEC website. Consequently, it is a good place to visit if you’re considering oil heating and cooking appliances as an alternative to gas heating. Consumers can also visit the website to find a registered oil engineer on the OFTEC list of ‘competent persons’.

The role of OFTEC and its importance:

• Promotes high levels of excellence in the oil manufacturing, installation, and maintenance sectors by consistently upgrading industry standards based on technical and safety advances within the industry.
• Encourages installer development by providing training and assessments for oil appliance installers at OFTEC-approved centres.
• Provides a list of qualified oil engineers as part of the OFTEC competent persons scheme.
• Inspects oil appliance products to ensure standards have been maintained and also awards accepted products with a OFCERT© certificate as proof of approved quality and safety credentials.
• Represents the UK on matters concerning the global oil industry to the European Commission.
• Promotes the use of oil heating and cooking equipment.

For free advice about oil boilers and heating systems, call us on 0800 311 8990 or complete our no-obligation quote form for a speedy reply from a local engineer.

In 2015, the UK Government launched a rollout scheme of smart meters into every household in the UK. This was part of a £11 billion carbon emission reduction initiative which aims to reduce nationwide carbon emissions by 34%. As a result, every household in the UK will receive a smart meter by 2020, if the scheme goes according to plan.

What is a Smart Meter?

Smart meters are gradually replacing old gas and electricity meters. They work wirelessly, automatically sending energy usage details to your energy provider. Consequently, the provider uses the information to bill you based on exactly how much gas and electricity you have consumed.

What are the Benefits of Smart Meters?

Installing a smart meter in your home can provide a number of fantastic benefits. These include:

• A smart meter display allows householders to monitor their gas and electricity usage. In addition, they show how much the bill is adding up to with live costs direct from the energy supplier. The suppliers can remotely adjust tariffs based on contracts.
• Estimated readings become a thing of the past so charges are accurate.
• No need for energy providers to send out workmen to your household to gather a meter reading.
• According to the government, switching energy suppliers will also be easy work with a smart meter. The switch can go ahead faster and with minimal fuss.
• Pre-payment customers are provided with extra topping up options. Therefore the chance of running out of credit at an inconvenient time is eliminated.
• Householders can set up their smart meters to work with renewable energy sources. This will monitor how much energy the sources are providing.
• Smart meters are provided free of charge by energy providers so it’s a no-brainer.

For help and advice on boiler installation, repairs and maintenance, please call 0800 311 8990.

If you would rather use the quote form, we will get you a no-obligation price as quickly as possible.

Ensuring optimum boiler efficiency is important for reducing your energy bills and preventing a breakdown. Boiler energy usage accounts for 55% of your household energy bills, according to The Energy Saving Trust. Therefore, a boiler running at top form can help you save money.

An efficient machine is safer and more reliable, so maintaining your its efficiency results in a win-win situation. If your boiler is operating effectively, it means that less energy is being used to generate power for heating and hot water.

Not only is this good news for your household budget, but also good news for the environment. Our top tips for improving efficiency are simple but highly effective. We suggest you check them out and start saving money now!

Annual Service

Firstly we recommend booking an annual service with a heating and plumbing engineer. They will ensure your machine is operating without fault or malfunction. An engineer will perform checks and system clean-outs which will increase your boiler’s performance.

Qualifications Count

Only use the services of a qualified boiler engineer. Ensure they are either Gas Safe registered (for gas boilers) or OFTEC registered. Hiring a rogue tradesman can have the opposite effect of what you’re wanting to achieve.

Watch Out

You yourself can do a little troubleshooting without actually touching the boiler system. The most important thing is to check regularly for leaking components, corrosion, discolouration, or general damage. If you machine shows any of these signs, or if its making unusual noises, we commend contacting an engineer as a matter of urgency.

Bleeding Radiators

Regularly bleed your radiators to release any trapped air from the system. Air reduces the performance of your system, resulting in increased energy usage and less than perfect heating.

Oil Boilers

Adding an additive to your oil boiler fuel help to reduce the build up of grime and sediment in your system’s tank. As a result, it supports the continued efficiency of your system.

If you would like free advice regarding boiler efficiency or central heating systems from a local, qualified engineer, please contact us on 0800 311 8990.

Safety in the home is important – a guide from the experts

Staying safe in your home is very important and something that should never be taken for granted. Therefore, if you smell gas, or suspect there could be a leak, you first need to follow these simple guidelines. They will make sure you and your family stay safe until they can resolve the problem.

1. Firstly, turn off the gas supply at the meter and leave it off until you are told it is safe to switch it back on
2. Open all windows and doors to allow fresh air to come in and the smell of gas to go out
3. Do not switch lights on and off and don’t use any electrical items
4. Do not light matches, use cigarette lighters or smoke
5. Do not use candles
6. Inform your neighbours of the problem

Call the emergency line

Once you have carried out the following safety measures, you must call the National Gas Service Emergency Line on 0800 111 999 and report that you smell gas, or suspect there could be a gas leak.

The number is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in case of emergencies.

They will ask you a number of questions regarding your concerns, such as:

• How long have you been able to smell gas?
• Where do you think it might be coming from?
• Your name, address and contact information.

They generally deal with such matters within two hours, depending on the situation, and will make your property safe. Repairs to faulty gas appliances such as a boiler, will have to be dealt with by a professional.

Find a Gas Safe Engineer

After speaking to the National Gas Emergency Service, contact us. One of our Gas Safe Registered engineers will attend your property immediately to repair the damaged boiler or pipework. As a result, your home will be safe once more.

In some cases the best solution will be to replace the boiler. If this situations arises, we will help you to choose the perfect replacement. The engineers we work with have experience of a variety of devices from different brands. They can advise you whether a like for like model is best or if you should upgrade. The quotes will be competitive and you can check exactly what each includes.

Call NOW on 0800 311 8990 for expert help and advice on all boiler repairs, installation and maintenance plans, or simply fill in the free Quote form below. The engineers we work with can also look at your central heating to make sure it is healthy.

A quick guide from the experts on room thermostats

There are a wide variety of wired and wireless styles if you want to invest in a programmable room thermostat. They all do the same job of sensing the temperature of the air and acting accordingly though.

The best place to position your thermostat is in the coolest room that you use or in the hallway. Never place it in direct sunlight, near to any draughts, or close to any heat sources. This will affect the results.

Using a thermostat to control your boiler not only saves gas; it helps to reduce CO2 emissions and keeps you in control of incoming bills.

A programmable room thermostat works as both a programmer and a thermostat. As a result, you should be able to set the ‘On’ and ‘Off’ switches to the times that suit you.

How does a room thermostat work?

A room thermostat works by measuring the temperature of the air, switching the boiler on if the air temperature has fallen below the thermostat setting and off again once it has reached the set temperature.

Basically, a programmable room thermostat gives you full control of your system. Therefore, you will be able to choose what time you would like the heating to come on and what the temperature should reach whilst it’s on.

You can set different temperatures for different periods during the day and night to fit in with your specific needs. This will maintain a comfortable heat even whilst you are sleeping.

Wireless room thermostats have become increasingly popular in recent years. They are much easier to install and can be placed anywhere around the home. As a result they are a much more flexible option.

Programmable room thermostats are a great way of improving energy efficiency in the home. They let you control the temperature and make it easy to turn down or switch heating off if you don’t need it.

To find out more about programmable room thermostats, or for help and advice on boiler installation, repairs or maintenance, please contact us.

Help and guidance on a leaky boiler

Firstly, you should never try and fix a leaky boiler yourself. Instead, shut off the boiler and call the experts. It is also illegal for anyone to use a gas appliance if they think that it might be dangerous!

A leaky boiler could be something serious and should be looked at by a Gas Safe Registered engineer as soon as possible.

Boiler leaks usually tend to mean that an internal component could be broken, such as a valve or seal. If left unattended, it could lead to rust and corrosion, or may even cause a short circuit within the electric components. Therefore, you need to contact your trusty engineers immediately when you spot the leak.

An expert engineer will look at the boiler and determine exactly where the leak is coming from – the bottom or from inside.

What could cause a boiler leak?

There’s a number of reasons why your boiler may start to leak. Here are just a few examples, all of which should all be fixed by a Gas Safe registered engineer.

If the leak is coming from the pressure valve, it might mean that the boiler pressure is too high. It should be between 18 and 21 PSI. When the pressure exceeds this, the relief valve will leak water to stop the appliance from blowing up.

It could also be leaking from the temperature valve. This means that the boiler temperature might be too high. It could be caused by a fault with the temperature probe.

The leak could be coming from the boiler pump seals. They may need replacing, or the pump could require resealing.

Badly fitted pipes could cause leaks from the boiler. Repairs to a badly fitted machine might be possible but sometimes a replacement may be required.

One of the main causes of a boiler leak is corrosion. Corroded tanks and pipes can lead to a weakened system and cause leaks to occur. If a valve has corroded it can be replaced. If the corrosion is more serious, a new boiler might be more economical in the long run.

Our expert Gas Safe registered engineers deal with all types of boiler repairs on a daily basis. Your leaky boiler will be fixed according to the problem by our fully qualified engineers. They will have your boiler back up and running in no time at all.

For help and advice on boiler installation, repairs and maintenance, please call 0800 311 8990, or simply fill in the free quote form.

A guide from the experts on Powerflushing

At some time in their lifespan, everyone’s central heating system will need to be powerflushed. The term may be a little bit confusing so we would like to explain what powerflushing is, how it works, and why it is necessary.

Basically, over time our radiators and pipes fill up with large amounts of rust, sludge and debris. If you don’t deal with it, you compromise the efficiency of your system. Little issues such as rooms feeling colder than others may also arise.

Powerflushing is more often than not the only solution when these type of problems occur. The high pressure and the high flow rate helps to move and filter out the debris and sludge from the system.

When installing a new replacement boiler into an existing central heating/hot water system, a powerflush is usually necessary. The old system may have never had one over its lifespan and will most probably be in need of one.

One way of preventing sludge and debris from building up is to have a magnetic filter installed into your central heating system. This is much easier for the engineer to carry out on a new boiler installation and something that he might recommend. It’s sometimes possible to install a magnetic filter into an existing system.

Some warning signs to look out for:

Knowing when your heating system is ready for a powerflush is pretty much impossible. Fortunately, there are a few signs to look out for that might help you:

• Radiators suddenly need bleeding more
• Cold areas on radiators despite bleeding
• Dirty water when bleeding the radiators
• Murky and/or bizarre tap water flow
• Lots of noise coming from the boiler, or it keeps cutting out
• Rooms taking longer to warm up than usual
• Some rooms feeling warmer than others
• Blocked pipes

A system powerflush normally takes about 6 hours but could take a full day depending on the size of your system and the amount of debris etc.

A full system powerflush varies in price depending on the size and location of your system but usually start from £300. The service may be included in new boiler installations.

For more information on powerflushing, or to speak to us about boiler installation, repairs or maintenance, please call 0800 311 8990.

Welcome to Warm, the easiest place to find and compare quotes for boiler installation cost. Click here for our online calculator and we’ll ask you a few simple questions about your property and boiler. No personal details are required. A fixed price will then appear on screen.

Or, if you prefer to speak direct to local gas engineers, use the “Get 3 FREE Quotes” form to the right. We will match your requirements with our trusted & accredited Gas Safe engineers. We aim to get you 3 FREE no-obligation quotes the very same day.

What are the costs of boiler installation?

A new boiler plus installation can be for many people one of the biggest expenses for the home. Consequently, knowing in advance whats involved could be extremely helpful.

The cost of installing a new boiler ranges from anywhere between £1,500 to £4,250. The breakdown of costs are as follows:

1. New boiler
2. Installation
3. Possible extras such as moving pipes, chemical flush etc..

There is no way around it; a boiler installation is not cheap. The benefits of a new and efficient model do outweigh the initial expenditure though. The costs involved in the purchase and installation of a new machine will vary widely depending on many factors.

Here at Warm.co.uk – we’ve gathered all the information you’ll need to help you understand the costs involved when it comes to buying and installing a brand new boiler.

What to consider when weighing up the costs of a boiler installation:

• Type and quality
• Cost and availability of parts
• How much work is involved in the installation
• Which installer you choose
• Your location

Overall costs can range from between £500 to over £2,000, depending upon the above factors, which will all play a role in determining the cost of an installation. Major energy suppliers will typically charge more for an installation than a local, independent engineer.

There could also be extra costs involved in the installation such as moving pipes, which costs around £200-300, a chemical flush at £200, or a mechanical flush which flushes the whole of the heating system, which is about around £510. These extras all depend on the type of system you’ve opted for.

The main scenarios which will affect the cost of an installation (in order of average costs from lowest to highest):

1. Replacing a condensing combi boiler with a newer model in the same position.
2. Replacing a non-condensing combi with a condensing combi in the same position.
3. Installing a condensing combi in a new position.
4. Upgrading from a traditional system to a combi system.
5. Additional fees will be charged when a mechanical or chemical flush is necessary.

The costs vary so widely because the level of work involved in each scenario also varies widely. Installers will have an increased workload for option 3 and 4. Additional tasks will include the routing of flues, fitting of condensing pipes, and sealing work.

Prices for an oil, system or conventional boiler installation will also differ. They will typically work out more than a combi replacement and installation.

What are the costs of a new boiler?

The price of a new boiler depends on a number of things; the size, brand and, most importantly, what type of boiler system you choose – combi, system, or regular (conventional). The type of boiler system you opt for will be the one that suits your specific home and requirements.

There are many top brand boilers available to choose from, including Baxi,Ideal, Glow Worm, Valliant, Viessman and Worcester Bosch. The price of a high quality boiler normally ranges from £1,000 to £5,000.

Before choosing the right boiler for your particular needs, it’s a good idea to read reviews and speak to your local boiler expert who covers your area. Call NOW for free professional advice, or visit our home page and fill in the free quote form.

If you’d rather not purchase a boiler separately yourself, our fully qualified Gas Safe engineers can quote you the best price for a top quality boiler and installation service.

Is there a way of knowing if I actually need a boiler replacement?

Before you do anything, you need to make sure that your boiler actually needs replacing. There are several ways of telling whether this is necessary. In reality, it is possible to identify many of these signs some time before everything stops functioning.

Constant breakdowns that leave you frequently repairing the boiler is one of the most common and obvious signs to be aware of. You could find yourself in this situation. If you do, you should know that you are able to save money over the long term. It is doable by having your current boiler replaced with something new and up to date.

Other signs include it costing you more than normal in your bills and having to restart the boiler constantly. Listen for strange noises too, as this is another sign you need to replace the boiler.

One other sign that is informing you it is time for a replacement is if the water isn’t warm enough. It may be a struggle for you to keep the house warm as well. What this means is that the boiler is not working the way it should be anymore. Boilers like this are no longer adequate enough to meet your demands. In either instance, you should consider a service from the team here at Warm. We can help you get a clearer idea of the boiler installation cost and help you find an engineer.

Make sure you plan ahead

It also pays to plan ahead for any boiler replacements. By doing this, you will be free to consider all the important things. Efficiency, energy saving, and budgets are at the top of the list here.

Something else that is worth considering here is your future and present requirements. This way, you can decide which boilers are going to be most appropriate.

Your plan could be to make major savings over the long term. Our advice in this case would be to make investments into a modern, energy efficient boiler. Look for a model that has heating controls.

There is another detail that is worth keeping in mind as well. Boiler technology has come such a long way that upgrading sooner rather than later might be more beneficial. If you follow this path, you can take advantage of the superior efficiency the energy saving mechanics offer.

Speak to us if you have questions about boiler installation cost

The best way of finding out the cost of a boiler installation in your home, contact us on 0800 311 8990 for free and friendly advice. If you prefer, you can complete our quick quote form for a no-obligation quote from a local and qualified engineer.