Maintain your boiler
December 19, 2019
Impossible to ignore the maintenance of your boiler, if you plan to improve its performance and increase its longevity! It is also a legal obligation that goes to your safety. To meet this obligation, we help you to take stock of how to maintain your heating system.
Boiler maintenance: why is it so necessary?
An obligation of annual control and maintenance applies to any boiler whose power is between 4 and 400 Kw. Whether the food is made with wood, coal, gas, fuel oil, or other fuels, there is no derogation. Since 2000 in Luxembourg, any owner of housing using a boiler, must present a certificate of overhaul of his machine. The sanitary regulations that established this annual maintenance obligation for boilers have several objectives.
One of the main aims of this measure is to reduce the risk of domestic accidents by carbon monoxide poisoning caused by faulty heating devices. In addition, a well maintained boiler, pollutes less, consumes little energy, offers more secure use, and helps prevent breakdowns in the middle of winter. In order to carry out this maintenance, you must sign an annual maintenance contract with a licensed heating professional. That is to say, a professional who has specific qualifications, and empowered to perform this type of operation.
How does the maintenance visit of a boiler take place?
During his mission, the heating engineer begins his work by checking the general condition of the boiler. It assesses the energy performance of the system in place, and its emissions of pollutants into the atmosphere. Then, it cleans and optimizes its settings. If the professional finds that your boiler is not waterproof, he checks the level of carbon dioxide released into the ambient air to ensure that there is no risk.
At the end of his visit, your heating engineer will give you (within a maximum of 15 days), a certificate retracing the various points checked and corrected, as well as the recommendations useful for a better functioning of your boiler. In fact, in addition to the technical control and maintenance of the boiler, the heating craftsman also advises the client on the best options for using his equipment. The advice given generally concerns possible improvements, or the replacement of the boiler with a more efficient model.
It is important to know that the certificate issued after the maintenance of your heating is a document to keep preciously, as it can serve as proof to the insurance companies in the event of a claim.
When to maintain your boiler?
There is no specific date to maintain your boiler. This mainly depends on your type of installation and how it is used. ! Does your boiler produce domestic hot water or not? If yes, then your system operates throughout the year. There is therefore no preferable season for maintenance. The main thing is to do it once a year, and follow the recommendations of the heating engineer.
If you do not produce hot water with your boiler, it is advisable to do its maintenance at the end of the summer season. During the summer, the boiler is shut down, and moisture is formed inside the ducts. This humidity, mixed with combustion residues, becomes corrosive and deteriorates the materials. So before intensive reuse of your machine in winter, it is best to have it serviced.
In general, the intervention will only take about an hour of your time. This period of time will save you from subsequent troubleshooting costs.