Most of us take our heating system for granted. That is until the moment they stop working and we’re left with no heating and taking freezing cold showers!
Brrrrrrrrr.
The reason I am sharing these heating system warning signs with you today is because I recently had to get help from a local company to fix our heating and plumbing system. They told me lots of interesting facts about heating systems that I thought I would share!
Brace yourself for these fun facts…
1. High Bills: One Of The Key Warning Signs That Your Heating System Needs Attention
If your energy bills suddenly shoot up then it’s usually because one of two things.
Either you’ve started using more electricity. For example, if you’ve started working from home. Or one of your appliances is the culprit.
If you haven’t recently bought something new, that could be the culprit.
It could also be that something you already own is breaking down and becoming inefficient.
To work out whether your heating system is to blame, wait for when everything but your heating is turned off.
Locate your electricity or gas meter, and watch the readings.
If it’s going up faster than you expect, it’s time to call someone in to check your boiler for faults.
A 24kWh boiler will use 24 kilowatts an hour. If yours is using more than that, you should get it checked out.
2. Watch Out For A (Dangerous) Yellow Flame
If your pilot light or burner flame turns yellow, then this is an indicator that carbon monoxide is being burned.
This is potentially dangerous for you and your family.
You should also be on the lookout for symptoms of fatigue and dizziness. These are symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning.
If anyone in your home is experiencing these symptoms, you should vacate immediately and seek help.
3. Strange Noises Coming From Your Heating System Is A Warning Sign
If your boiler or steam generator starts making strange noises, it indicates that something is going wrong with its mechanics.
It’s a very good idea to get in touch with a heating engineer as soon as possible before the problem becomes irreparable.
Sometimes it’s an easy, and cheap fix, so it’s best not to let these things go untreated!
4. Rooms And Water Not Getting Up To Temperature
If your hot water isn’t as hot as it used to be, or your rooms aren’t getting up to temperature as they should, then this is a sign that your boiler is struggling.
Not only will you be cold, but as your boiler is running inefficiently it will be costing you money. You may need to check your plumbing fixtures as well.
5. Turning Itself Off And On
Your heating system has inbuilt safety mechanisms to prevent it from operating if the motor is at too high a temperature and might need to be fixed.
If your heating system cuts out before it reaches the right temperature, and then turns itself back on again, the chances are that the system has shut itself off due to overheating and then turned itself back on again.
This is an issue you’ll want to address quickly, otherwise, your heating system could break.
6. What’s The Boiler Age? It Might Be Time For A Replacement
Boilers generally need to be replaced every 15-20 years, so if yours is approaching this age, then be sure to book in regular servicing and checks to pre-empt any problems and start saving to replace it.
The Bottom Line…
Heating systems usually give us warning signs like the 6 aforementioned, so it’s good to get anything unusual checked out.
For one, it can save you from having to part with a lot of cash on a brand-new boiler! And secondly, it keeps you warm in the cold, with no unexpected cold showers!
Last Updated on June 22, 2023 by Lucy Clarke
