With the weather getting nicer these days, a question that is asked almost every year is whether it is a good idea to turn off the central heating during the summer months to save money on your heating bill.
On the surface, this seems like a sensible idea and an easy way to save money on your energy bills, since money would be wasted heating a house when it is not needed. However, this philosophy might not always be strictly the correct one to follow for a few simple reasons.
5 reasons why you should keep your boiler turned on over summer
- Stops your internal workings from seizing up.
- Lowers the risk of it breaking when the cold weather starts again.
- Your Combi Boiler will likely have a “Summer” Mode.
- You may need your boiler to heat up water in your home.
- The British climate can be unpredictable!
In our latest blog post we asked our boiler engineer Edinburgh for his top tips for boiler maintenance during the Summer. we are going to discuss if you should turn your boiler off during the summer months.
Read on to find out everything you need to know when it comes to turning off your boiler for the summer as we run through all the scenarios when this is a good idea and a bad one!
Is turning off the boiler in the summer the right choice?
If you have an old boiler
Especially one with a continuously burning pilot light – it may well be worth turning off the boiler in the months when it’s not used for heating the home.
If you have a more modern boiler
You may want to switch it off if the water cistern is not a modern one coated with polystyrene.
If you have an electric shower
And don’t take baths during the summer and a dishwasher, only water used at the kitchen sink and in a bathroom hand-basin would need to be heated.
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Why you should let your central heating system run occasionally in the summer
Keeping your boiler and central heating system on over summer really is a wise idea. There are many benefits to keeping your boiler switched on when it gets warmer outside.
Let’s take a closer look at why you should keep your boiler switched on and answer the question: Can I turn my boiler off in the Summer?
What happens if I don’t run my boiler over the Summer?
The offshoot of not running your central heating system at all in the summer months is that if a failure occurs, the boiler will not work right at the time when you need it to, leaving you in the cold.
The central heating system is a device that is designed to be switched on and off, but when it is switched off for long periods of time, then things can go wrong with the system as parts have the propensity to seize up.
Avoid Boiler Repair Costs
If you don’t, the pump and diverter valve that circulates the fluid around the radiators and to the hot water cistern can become seized up. If this happens, they could fail when you finally turn the heating back on in the autumn.
This will also incur some expensive bills right at the time of year when you end up having to spend more on your energy bills too. If this does happen Gasworks can provide you with the best boiler repair Edinburgh has to offer
#1 Tip for Running your Boiler over Summer
One of the top boiler tips for the summer that we normally suggest to our customers is to run the central heating system occasionally over the summer months.
Running the central heating for an hour every few days won’t incur too much extra expense in terms of energy output but will be enough to keep the central heating system ticking over all year round – and thus save you some repair costs later on.
For the forgetful or busy individual, it can be possible to set up a summer heating schedule using your heating controls so you can forget about it completely.
Arrange a Boiler Service in the Autumn
In addition to this, the summer months, especially the tail end of the summer season is a great time of year to get your boiler serviced. Many people forgo getting their boiler serviced and only do so when a problem occurs. This can be a false economy and most manufacturers provide a servicing schedule that should be followed.
The British Weather
Many people will turn off their central heating at a certain time of year regardless of the actual weather; however, the British climate can be unpredictable, and the weather can be unseasonably warm or cold across the year. So, if you feel the cold more than most, then why not keep the central heating on?
Following these top tips when it comes to leaving your boiler on for the Summer will ensure that your central heating system works well all year round and operates most cost-effectively.
Hopefully, we have answered your question Should I switch my boiler off in the Summer? If you have any other questions, get in touch with the best central heating engineers Edinburgh has to offer.
